5 Reasons Electric Cars Will Disappoint

[JournalistKev87]

By: Rick Newman

They're cool. That's for sure.

The Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt could turn out to be the most innovative mass-produced cars in a century. By taking some or all of their power from a household electrical outlet, they offer the first real glimpse of transportation that doesn't rely on petroleum—and could even crest the magical 100-miles-per-gallon threshold, once the official electricity-to-gasoline conversions are complete. Even better, the two electrics offer something new without the ugly packaging that has doomed futuremobiles in the past. They're cute, actually.

The Leaf is a perky five-passenger hatchback with sporty handling that can go about 100 miles on an eight-hour charge. The Volt, a bit edgier, is a four-passenger hatch that can go about 40 miles on a charge, with a gas engine that kicks in after that. Both offer a comfortable interior, futuristic controls, and do-gooder credibility. Together, these first-generation electrics set worthy standards for competing models from Toyota, Ford, Smart, and even Chinese manufacturers to meet or beat as they arrive over the next few years.

Now for the bad news: Hardly anybody will buy one, and for a good long while most car buyers will consider electric vehicles to be a great purchase—for somebody else to make.

*snip*

That prediction could be wrong. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, for one, believes that EVs will account for 10 percent of global market share by 2020. And technology breakthroughs, stronger government backing, or an unforeseen spike in gasoline prices could propel electrics into the mainstream faster than skeptics predict. But for the next few years at least, electric vehicles will fail to live up to the hype.

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1561/5-reasons-electric-cars-will-disappoint/
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Hmmm, I smell some propaganda. Loved the part about the '90s electric car being "a colossal flop"

[Warpy]

1. Yes, it reeks of propaganda

The "flop" was GM's refusal to sell those electric cars to the people who were fortunate enough to lease them, preferring to crush them and remove the option. People who had them were generally enthusiastic about them, even with their extremely limited range back then.

Electric cars will likely become the mainstay of urban transportation, especially as they get a bit smaller and more efficient and solar charging systems become the norm.

Farms and intercity transport will likely switch to biodiesel.

[Sal Minella]

2. "Who Killed The Electric Car" is a most educational film. n/t

[silverweb]

3. Bullshit.

n/t

[PADemD]

4. Let's see...

No $3/gallon gas, no oil changes, and I get to charge up the car at home. When and where can I get an electric car (Leaf)?

Instead of the typical parking meters, the smart municipalities will be installing meters on which we can charge up our cars.

And wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to drive our 100-mile range electric cars to the nearest high-speed rail line if we want to travel further?

It's a nice dream. I hope I live long enough to see it.

[dmallind]

5. no speculation is needed.

We know what demand is, and both are sold out for months - over a year in the case of the Leaf.