Nissan is expecting strong fleet demand for the battery version of its NV200 van.
Electric passenger cars currently cost $5,000 to $6,000 more for their owners to buy and operate than an equivalent fossil fuel car over the vehicle’s lifetime, according to a new study by the Paris-based International Transport Forum (ITF).
But because of the different operating requirement, an electric delivery van costs is likely to cost as much as $5,000 less to own and operate when compared to a similar van running on gasoline or diesel, the same study found.
The study also shows that:
- The costs of reducing CO2 emissions by promoting electric cars, even with low-carbon sources of electricity, remain high.
- In those cases where electric cars already compare favorably to fossil-fuelled vehicles, subsidies may be superfluous.
Electric vehicles have gathered increased interest in recent years as concerns about energy security, climate change and air pollution have motivated governments and manufacturers to consider energy alternatives.
Moreover, the market for electric vehicles is already substantial and larger than many analysts estimate.
Recent estimates put the global electric vehicle fleet at over 120 million units. However, that figure is largely based on the massive acceptance of electric bicycles and scooters in China. By comparison, the most popular electric car models achieved global sales of approximately 44 000 units in 2011.
Nonetheless, proponents expect that to grow substantially in 2012 and beyond. Nissan alone hopes to near that figure this year with the Leaf model and believes it can go substantially beyond once it launches production of the battery-electric vehicle in the U.S. this coming December. General Motors had also hoped to match that figure in 2012 with its Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera plug-ins, though sales have gotten off to a slower start than anticipated.
But the trend is upward, nonetheless, reflecting the fact that the current generation of electric vehicles represents a significant improvement over previous ones. Nonetheless, electric vehicles remain more expensive than their fossil-fuelled equivalents and may need government assistance to trigger wide-spread uptake.
In line with strategic de-carbonization goals, governments around the worldhave been providing significant research and development funding and, in many cases, direct subsidies, according to the ITF.
The ITF’s figures match other recent studies which have also suggested that the big market for electric vehicles could come on the commercial, rather than retail side, at least initially. Among the companies moving to electric power are delivery firms like UPS and Federal Express, as well as GE, the industrial giant planning to replace half of its worldwide transportation fleet with battery vehicles.
I am not surprised by the biased reporting I continue to see by the Detriot Bureau that is negative concerning electric cars.
Without a link to the study, it is hard for me to determine on what basis the reported study rested its findings on.
After more than 12 months of ownership and over 20500 miles driven in my 2011 Nissan LEAF, I am still VERY pleased with my choice. Not only have my electric bills increased only about $35/month to fuel my car (from primarily hydro-electric power), but I have NOT had to worry about oil changes, belts wearing out, filters, etc. The car is fun to drive and has served as our primary family vehicle. It is the car all the drivers in my family want to drive.
9 more years down the road, rather than having to get a transmission or dirty gas engine rebuilt, I will be due for a battery upgrade… since my old battery is estimated to be capable of about 80% of peak capacity. After 15000 miles driven, there was still no sign of degradation in capacity, when I had it tested.
Leading up to that day, as experiences is demonstrating to me, I expect to save at roughly $2000/year by not having to pay for expensive gas, oil changes, radiator flushes, engine cleanings, belt replacements, spark plugs, etc. By my calculations, I am spending only about 2 cents per mile for electricity, rather than the 15+ cents per mile I am spending in gas for our other cars.
I estimate that I will have saved more money than I spent for my LEAF after about 10-11 years… with the car essentially paying for itself, though that wasn’t my object or goal, since I was already in the market for a new car. If I would have bought a gas car, there would have been no such savings, just depreciation.
In the Seattle area, where I live, we now have hundreds of publicly available charging stations, which are readily available at many stores, offices, theaters, public parking garages, parks, government buildings, etc. The old paradigm of going to a busy and toxic gas station is dying, with it replaced with a new one, in which your car is cleanly fueled while it is parked as you go about your daily errands at the store, theater, park, work, or while parked in your garage.
I am always surprised by the comments like this, accusing us of “negative reporting” on battery tech. Compared to almost any mainstream media outlet I believe we have been more balanced and in-depth. That we make a point of also raising legitimate concerns and challenging BOTH the skeptics AND proponents seems to be difficult for many people to take in an era when reporting has morphed into the “you’re with us or agin’ u”s approach of cable TV and talk radio. Ironically, I was personally taken on this week by a senior exec from a major company with a very green reputation for being “probably too optimistic” about the chances for battery power to gain a significant foothold anytime soon!
The reality is that it takes a leap for most folks to buy into EVs and PHEVs for now. There are plenty of challenges and the sales numbers and the problems facing battery makers and other suppliers only underscores this.
I realize for some folks the technology fits well, but you are not yet the mainstream. And accusing me of biased reporting does not make it any different. You are entitled to your opinions but not to your own facts.
Paul A. Eisenstein
Publisher, TheDetroitBureau.com
BTW, D
By the way, Divaqs, to underscore the point that your comments and criticisms are based on personal bias v facts, several preliminary studies, including but not limited to GM data show that the “old paradigm” of the gas station is not dying, at least not in terms of. It being replaced by public charging facilities. The Linda of fill-at-home, well that’s another matter. The preliminary evidence is that people are NOT using public charging facilities to any significant degree but are charging at home. Will that change? Perhaps but it is not being seen yet in most of the country. This is matter for a longer discussion than I want to handle typing on an iPad away from the office.
To conclude: I respect your enthusiasm but I encourage you to separate that from your perception of the real-world situation.
Paul E.