Concerns About Lack of Infrastructure Could Mar Debut of Electric Cars

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Just a few years ago, the entire automotive world was touting the advent of the flex-fueled vehicle as the next great step toward environmental purity in the automotive marketplace. However, the hype was short-lived once ethanol-fueled vehicles actually hit the market, as the fluctuating cost of the feedstock and the lack of a sufficient infrastructure to support nationwide operations proved that the nation was simply not ready for this type of vehicle. In just a few short months, the first wave of electric vehicles will appear on the market, initially in a limited release, but with more frequency as additional automakers tap into this market. One of the major problems facing the automakers is the lack of a nationwide infrastructure to support the charging of batteries for these vehicles.

Automakers are, quite justifiably, worried that concerns about not having sufficient locations to recharge their electric vehicles will lead to reduced sales. In the case of the Chevrolet Volt, General Motors Corporation's (Detroit, Michigan) first venture into the electric vehicle market and the first electric vehicle that will hit the market, these concerns are somewhat alleviated by the Volt's design. The Volt will operate on an engine that will be capable of going 40 miles on an electric charge before the gasoline engine kicks in while the car recharges its battery.

This type of design allows for a seamless transition from electric to gas and back again allowing the vehicle to continue to progress for longer trips, essentially eliminating the potential problem. However, other automakers are introducing purely electric vehicles to the market, either later this year, as in the case of Nissan's Leaf model, or in 2012. The Leaf is billed as a purely electric vehicle capable of going 100 miles on a single charge. The problem is, after you have used that charge, where do you recharge?

Nissan is counting on the Leaf being primarily sold as either a second car used for local transport while you use your traditional gasoline vehicle for long trips or by those who purely travel locally to work or to run errands. The estimates have a purely electric vehicle taking up to eight hours to fully recharge, which will certainly put a damper on long trips in the vehicle. Even with rapid charging stations being developed, it will still take up to 30 minutes to get a full charge, something that will certainly not sit well for people in the midst of a long trip.

Everyone has known that electric vehicles were coming for quite some time. They have been in development for years, and since the change of administrations in Washington D.C., increased emphasis has been placed on their development, with billions in incentives and loans going out to companies working toward that goal. The real question is why wasn't as much emphasis placed on developing the necessary infrastructure to support such vehicles prior to their release to the market?

President Obama wants to see 1 million electric vehicles on the nation's roads by 2015. Current estimates at their most optimistic place the number of public charging stations at 16,000 by 2012--nowhere near enough to support nationwide operation of an electric vehicle. There are 117,000 gas stations in the U.S. If electric vehicles take off to the degree that the government is hoping, how will they get their necessary fuel on long hauls, especially in those areas where even gas is lacking?

While these questions will certainly not stop the advent of the electric vehicle, they do put a crimp in their sales potential. GM is taking a very cautious approach to its release of the Volt later this year, spacing out how many vehicles it will produce and where they will be sold, in part to try and alleviate these potential problems. But more and more electric vehicles will be hitting the roads in the near future, and unless the battery-recharging issues are addressed rapidly, the era of the electric car could be a short one.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.