GM's electric vehicle, Volt, expected to make its debut on November 18, 2010.
The excitement surrounding the new models of electric cars might just be the result of hype from the auto industry and technology followers.
J.D. Power and Associates, an automotive industry research firm, reported this week that global sales for battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles were expected to reach 5.2 million in 2020, just 7.3 percent of the total number of vehicles expected to be sold that year.
About 1 million electric vehicles are expected to be sold this year, about 2 percent of total worldwide sales.
The vehicles have the a few things working against them, the report noted; gas prices are too low to create strong demand for electric or hybrid vehicles. Consumers are still unfamiliar with electric vehicle technology, and are worried about the driving range of the cars. The vehicles are still too expensive to compete with conventional engine cars.
“Many consumers say they are concerned about the environment, but when they find out how much a green vehicle is going to cost, their altruistic inclination declines considerably,” said John Humphrey, a senior vice president at J.D. Power.
He said drivers are still wondering how long they would have to own an electric vehicle before seeing the saving in their fuel consumption. They also worry about the cost of replacing worn out battery packs.
People who have been eager to go electric are generally older, wealthier and more educated. They also tend to be interested in green technology or are early adaptors of new products. The general population, however, is less motivated than more tech-savvy consumers.
