5 million charging stations for electric vehicles by 2015

[wpsedgwick]

Source: Examiner

A total of 4.7 million electric vehicle charging stations will be installed worldwide over the next five years to support the transition to plug-in vehicles, says Pike's "Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment" report.

The United States alone is likely to be home to almost 1 million charging points by 2015.

Pike Research forecasts that annual revenue from EV charging equipment will reach $1.8 billion (US) in 2015.

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/x-42287-Chicago-Green-Technology-Examiner~y2010m5d28-5-million-charging-stations-for-electric-vehicles-by-2015

[daleo]

1. I can also envision solar panels on a lot of garage roofs

Once reasonably priced electic cars are available.

[Iwasthere]

2. when will that be?

I have been waiting for a plug in hybrid for YEARS! Every year the rumor is next year. Prius was essentially one 10 with their firts version (but coulld only go 2 miles after pushing the dash button, which they disabled on all Ameican cars). Peope were activiting the button and purchasing large batteries and they stil are. Where are the factory versions?

[daleo]

3. There seems to be some real development going on now

But I suspect it will still take 2 to 3 years to see them on the market in North America. The oil industry has a deep hold on our politics and culture. The Gulf of Mexico oil gusher may diminish that, though.

[SocialistLez]

5. I have considered just paying to get my car converted.

Back when I had DirecTV, they had the channel Planet Green and they showed a guy out in LA (if my memory serves me correctly) that converts cars over to electric. He mainly dealt with vintage cars but he said he can do modern cars as well.

I am hoping my car makes it until 2012...2013 and hopefully there will be some decent plug-in hybrids on the market. I like the Nissan Leaf but the price tag is pretty high. I don't want stupid tax credits. I just want a car that is affordable and get great gas mileage.

I'll probably end up with a Civic hybrid or a Ford Fiesta.

[defendandprotect]

17. Government should subsidize converting cars --

[Hempathy]

4. If you mean people's garages at home, in order to charge the vehicle...

it wouldn't do much good for people who commute by car to their day jobs.

[BeFree]

6. Batteries

The solar cells charge a battery and then when the car is home, the power is transferred.

Or solar goes back into the grid during the day.

Oh... the moniker 'hempathy'? Cute.

[Hempathy]

8. It seems like getting a 'smart' meter from the electric co. might be a better route...

charge the car at night, when the rates for electricity are cheaper.

Solar panels and a battery storage system for later charging a car would probably have a significant up-front cost.
We looked into going with solar when we bought our house last year, and the prices for systems were WAAAY too high to make it feasible.

[BeFree]

9. solar is expensive

Too expensive. So how much, one must ask, is subsidizing coal and oil really costing us?

[daleo]

12. I looked into the cost on a very rough basis

In my area, you could probably do this for 10 to 20 thousand. I figure if you got about an hour's worth of "free" electrical power per day, for an hour's commuting, it would take about 8 years to break even on a $15000 investment. That's a rough calculation, and solar cells will probably come down in price as they become mainstream.

Besides the pure monetary calculation, this may well become a status symbol (partly a demonstration of how green you are, and partly a demonstration of how much money you have). It's odd that people will install ten thousand dollars worth of granite counter-tops in their homes without giving it a second thought, but think that much for solar cells is a waste of money.

[boppers]

15. charge the car at night... from solar...

er...

[ShortnFiery]

7. That's excellent news! eom

[Bette Noir]

10. I hope so. I'd like our next family car to be a plug-in,

but most of my driving is long trips.

edited to add: My husband's employer has charging stations in the parking lot. He could easily commute on electric. He'd like that; electric cars get to use the carpool lane.

[onehandle]

11. I'll believe it when I see it here. And 'Examiner' is a right-wing organization...

...that is trying to become the Fox News of the Internet.

[Dappleganger]

13. Who and where are they manufacturing these charging stations??

They sure as hell better be doing it on American soil with American workers making fair wages and benefits.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

14. The USA nees to lead the market for solar, electric cars

[defendandprotect]

16. Obama has to give leadership to this ....

Evidently the gas-guzzler and all those gas stations were subsidized

by US government when we transitioned --