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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFledging Electric Car Market In Turmoil
By Agence France-Presse
Friday, October 5, 2012 18:30 EDT
The fledgling electric car business is in turmoil as predictions about potential sales have proven to be wildly optimistic despite volatile fuel prices and plenty of media hype.
Weak consumer demand is hitting both the big automakers like General Motors and Nissan which have failed to meet sales targets on the plug-in Volt and all-electric Leaf and smaller start-up firms trying to carve out a piece of a very small niche.
Electric vehicles dont make any more sense today than they did in 1912, says Sean McAlinden, an analyst with the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
They take too long to charge, the range is too short and they cost too much.
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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/05/fledging-electric-car-market-in-turmoil/
Zalatix
(8,994 posts)Hey, Zalatix.
What do you drive? I had a Focus for a week and an iMiev for a week, and have gone for rides in Teslas, and Leafs, and driven two Hydrogen cars.
I also drove a Volt, which seemed too big, but I'm used to a Prius.
What are you driving?
godai
(2,902 posts)Once or twice a week, these types of stories come out, probably originating with oil related industries. EV adaptation will take many years but they're here to stay this time.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Tesla is doing terrifically well with their new sedan model completely sold out and all models having an impressive 200+mile range.
The Leaf and Mitsubishi iMiev and the electric Focus (I had one for a week and bricked it) have a short range well under 100 miles, but are still very viable second vehicles for a family, or primary vehicles where one doesn't need to travel further.
The Volt is a parallel hybrid electric, or electric vehicle with an onboard gas generator, which is a very good concept but the maker over designed the car.
Two clear problems exist here:
A: The makers are all overpricing these cars rather than letting the other models absorb R and D (the traditional approach). Even the incentives of up to $20,000 where I live don't square very well (the foucus is $40,000 list.
B: Over design of the Volt-- I think they should put that concept on a smaller and more utilitarian platform, like Toyota did with the Prius.
The technology will soon be here to make these vehicles even more viable for more people, but they already are viable for some.
I would order a Tesla sedan if my 120,000 mile Prius wasn't still rolling strong.