Research and Markets says global pure electric vehicle sales could reach 7.5 million units by 2020. Sales would be driven by growing environmental concerns coupled with highly volatile oil prices.
Electric vehicles have emerged as the most promising alternative to increased energy security and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. Thus, electric vehicle sale are anticipated to reach around 7.5 Million Units by the end of 2020, growing at a CAGR of around 19% during 2014-2020.
IDTechEx sees global sales of hybrid and pure electric cars reaching $178.9 billion in 2024 and RnRMarketResearch projects hybrid and electric vehicle sales more than doubling to 25 million units in 2018. The latter says sales will be drive by micro and mild hybrids, particularly in Western Europe.
Market advances will be led by micro and mild hybrids. Micro hybrids are conventional vehicles equipped with start-stop systems. Mild hybrids also have regenerative braking, and some of these come equipped with a small electric motor that helps start the vehicle but can not propel it without the aid of an internal combustion engine. These systems offer significant fuel savings considering their relatively low cost, and can lower overall vehicle emissions. In 2018, micro and mild hybrids will account for 80 percent of all hybrid/EV demand, followed by full and plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.
MarketResearchReports looks at industrial and commercial hybrid and pure EV growth from 2014-2024. Today this segment represents 60% of the value of the electric vehicle market and this sector is set to grow 4 times in the next decade. Industrial and commercial electric vehicles include heavy industrial vehicles, such as with forklifts, as well as buses, trucks, taxis and the other light industrial and commercial vehicles.
From autobloggreen we learn Iran has its first EV. Soon after eliminating tariffs on the import of and electric vehicles and many hybrids, Iran has imported its first electric car.
In recent years, Iran has moved toward alternative powertrains such as hybrids and natural gas vehicles, partially in response to economic sanctions against the country, and also in an effort to reduce air pollution. With Iran easing its import laws, producing more of its own electricity and trying to stir up competition in its ailing domestic automotive industry, don’t be surprised to see the nation further embrace electrification of its vehicles.
LONDONIST reveals the UK city of London is a long way from reaching its EV goal. Currently there are only 3000 EVs in the city, only 3% of the target of the 100,000 the mayor wants for 2020. According to surveys, the reasons people are not flocking to EVs in London include being put off by recharging, being put off by the lack of range for battery life, and being put off by the cost of buying an EV. Moreover, of the 25,000 charging points promised by 2015, only 1,408 are in operation. Also, car ownership in London is falling — only 58% of households in London have access to a car compared with 63% in 2001. While car ownership is declining, cycling is increasing.
The US is well short of President Oboma’s EV goal. The Hill reminds us that when he was running for President in 2008, then-Sen. Barack Obama set a lofty goal of 1 million electric cars on American roads by 2015. With only one year to go only 198,000 EVs have been sold in this country according to the Electric Drive Transportation Association. (Note: Torque News puts this number at 220,000.) The reality is that, despite generous government incentives, consumers have been slower to adopt electric vehicle technology than Obama had hoped.
Forecasting firm Navigant Research, which uses different methods than the EDTA, predicts that the U.S. will have 172,304 electric vehicles sold by the end of next year. The firm doesn’t project hitting the 1 million mark until sometime beyond 2025.
EVs have yet to take off in Canada says The Globe and Mail. Sales of pure EVs are almost non-existent in this country, at well below 1% of the market. Hybrids haven’t been faring much better. They account for about 1.5% of new light vehicle sales in Canada. Automakers are now responding with discounts which coupled with government subsidies can add up to $12,000 per vehicle. Time will tell if these enticements are successful in jump-starting EV and hybrid sales.
The Detroit News reports that 8 US states have plans to increase the sales of EVs by 2025. California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont want 3.3 million zero greenhouse gas emission cars on their roads by that date. To achieve this they have agreed to regulations requiring automakers to build a rising number of electric vehicles and other zero emission vehicles like hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The states have adopted rules requiring about 15% of new vehicles sold to produce zero emissions by 2025. Collectively, the eight states represent more than 23% of the US. car market. These states also say they will work together to harmonize building codes to make it easier to construct new electric car charging stations; buy more zero-emission vehicles for government fleets; consider state incentives to boost zero-emission vehicles; look at ways to make home-recharging cheaper; and develop common standards for roadway signs and charging networks.
gizmag introduces us to the world’s smallest foldable EV. Dutch-based Trikelet BV has a foldable 3-wheeler (see photo above and video). The Trikelet use a 500-700 W motor to achieve a range of roughly 15 km (9.3 mi), a top speed of 20 km/h (12 mph) and reportedly consumes 1 kWh of electricity per 70 km (43.5 mi) under full load. The scooter weighs in at around 26 lb (12 kg). Upon arriving at one’s destination, users simply fold the electric trike up and trolley it like a piece of luggage. The Trikelet is still under development, with the company seeking additional financing to take the electric scooter from a prototype to a fully tested, certified product. Should the scooter make it to market, Trikelet BV anticipates a retail price in the range of US$1400 – $2000.
inautonews notes that European automaker Renault is rethinking electric vehicles. Weak demand for its vehicles is causing the company to reconsider its commitment to EVs. Chief Performance Officer Jerome Stoll says: “People haven’t yet reached the point where they feel the need to have an electric vehicle for full daily use. People need to feel that need to shift to electric models.” Chief executive Carlos Ghosn already announced publicly the alliance between Nissan and Renault would not accomplish its internal goal of selling 1.5 million electric cars each year by 2016.