What's holding back electric car sales?

IMO:

1) Gasoline prices.
2) EV vehicle prices.
3) Fear of the unknown/ignorance by mainstream buyers.
4) Range anxiety
5) Dealerships (Tesla aside)

 

Test drive events.
Marketing (commercials, movie and TV placement, etc).
Dealer... "Education"

 

It isn't other people's ignorance. Lots of us know very well the pros and cons but feel we don't fit with such a car.

 

I don't know about the US but the car makers are half to blame.

With the refreshing exception of Tesla, all and I mean all electric cars have a 100 mile range give or take 10%. And all cost about the same as a base Prius to the price of a BMW 5 series. Most are compromised in some ridiculous manner such as only having 4 seats in a mid sized vehicle, or in the case of the Renault Zoe EV (which I appreciate you don't get) which can't be charged from a home socket. You need a dedicated charger only.

And then the range of 100 miles is in super ideal circumstances with reports of people only getting 50 miles in winter (or less). That is next to useless for an expensive car.

BEVs aren't selling here in the UK where petrol is over $8 a US gallon. Traditional manufacturers didn't want BEVs eating into existing sales so compromised them in various ways. The public aren't stupid. Tesla however are giving people what they actually want and are in demand.

This exact subject has been discussed on the UK forums recently. Some manufacturers don't want their BEVs to sell and probably hope the whole fad just goes away. I'm thinking of Ford who sell the Focus EV here in the UK and have done for 12 months. Guess how many they've sold in that time? 12. Yes you read that right! Why have they sold so few? Because they're not advertising it, it's hidden on their website and it costs £33,000 or £11,000 more than a Prius.

So no wonder BEVs aren't selling.

Ford Focus Electric first drive Review | Autocar
FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC - How Many Left?
The All-New Ford Focus Electric | Ford UK

 

Yes when it comes to the range of the current EVs. Shorter charge times only matter for getting a BEV to completely replace the traditional car.* Still see comments about not considering a BEV until it can go 500+miles and recharge in 15 minutes though.

*BEVs don't have to be able to completely replace the gas car to have a positive impact. The majority of driving for most is local that BEVs can until now in most areas. But people feel that they need all a gas car's capabilities. It's the mentality that have people believing they needed a 4WD SUV in case they went off road or for the snow.

 

If we are talking the US, #1 is people don't adopt new technology quickly. If we really compare to 2011 (1st real year) which was a true disappointment 17,542 where the negative folks were expecting no growth to
52,581 in 2012 (200% growth)
97,507 in 2013 (85% growth)
year to date we have 27% growth. This is rapid but slowing growth. If we continue at 25% growth until 2020, then we will be selling around 500,000 cars (around the same level as hybrids were last year). Growth could ofcourse be faster. China is likely to buy more plug-ins than the US before 2020, and this will push battery prices lower.

1) Dealers don't want to sell them, and some are vocally opposed and put out false information. Lexus has lots of this FUD on their website.
Lexus Defends Anti-EV Ad - Says "Life With An EV" Has "Challenges" And "Uncertainties" . We have some of these anti-plug-in dealers in congress, and lots of them in PACs.

After that I like fotomoto's list

 

That's the mentality of the engineers and the manufacturers. That's also the reason by BEVs aren't selling. 100 miles is more than enough if it actually was 100 miles but it isn't, it's 50 or 60 or maybe 75. Make the range an actual 150 or even 150 with an actual 100 miles and they'll sell. 50 miles in ideal circumstances is useless as the sales show.

 

No, not ignorance, however it is their lack of experience with EVs and lack of understanding of the convenience, for most, of an EV.
And yes, a lot of "us" at this site understand the pros and cons. Most of the general public do not though.
This is reinforced for me at every car event and EV event I show my BEV at.

Of course, this misunderstanding is not helped by commercials that actually give wrong information about EVs. When that happens it sets the adoption of EVs back even more.

Ride, and better yet, drive events are critical in this environment.

 

Welp, anyone who drives a car knows at some point (6 or 7 years) they have to replace the 12V battery. What's to keep them from assuming a fancy EV battery will need replacing after 8 or so years and cost some thousands of $?

Last weekend I sold a 1992 Mazda 626 with 130k miles on it. On the road since Jan 1993. Mazdas are not known for the best reliability and it did take over $8k in all maintenance (oil, tires, etc) and repairs (brakes, belts, A/C, etc) from 94k mi to 130k. ...

How many traction battery repairs or replacements might be needed on a 22 year old EV? Is it viable to have an EV when you don't drive that much because retirement, etc...?

As for the Leaf, I don't like the looks at all. Driver's seating is c#$p last time I sat in it. If I was looking to spend $30k, it wouldn't be on an EV or PHEV.

 

In the US, top selling vehicles are trucks, SUVs and sedans with a trunk (compact or mid-size).

Nissan Leaf is the most obvious choice for a BEV, but wow is that thing weird looking. Weird headlights, odd looking body. A whole lot of people do not want to 'stick out' with the looks of their car, but blend in well.

Face it, car looks are very important to so many people who can afford a new car. It's one reason Tesla Model S is in high demand: It's hot looking, even sitting next to a quarter million $ Bugatti Veyron at SJ Auto show.

 

You got the following situation:
(1) Some buy EV for moral or other reasons of true commitment (favoritism to electrification)
(2) Some buy EV because it makes sense economically, mostly due to "super duper" incentives (HOV, $$$) in some states

I do not really agree with the super-duper state incentives philosophically, but hey, I think it sells cars, and to improve your state economy, why not do so?

Virginia's governor today suggested $2500 off for zero-emissions cars. You know what, if I was Governor, I woud do the same thing to encourage auto sales. I would have criticized the VA Governor had he not realized the need for this. In fact I already did, in a round about way, make the criticism...so now I'm out of ammo.

 

But the Ford Focus EV looks like a normal car but barely sells either side of the Atlantic. The Renault Fluence EV (which you didn't get) looks like a big boring French car and didn't sell either.



Sad as it seems, people want a BEV that makes a statement like the Leaf. Or at least it appears so.

Same as the Prius. Why did Honda choose the camback design for their failed 2009 Insight model? Because in America that statement appears to sell. In Europe the opposite is true and the Prius is getting outsold by hybrid versions of the rest of the Toyota UK range.

The Tesla is hot because it does over 200 miles on a charge. I'm guessing that even in the middle of a cold winter you'll still get more out of it that the best a Leaf could ever hope for.

 

Don't forget #3
Some buy an EV because it;
handles better,
performs better,
is safer,
has lower running costs,
and is more convenient for them.

 

i think ev sales are doing pretty well considering all the things they have going against them. let's face it, it's only human nature to be in favor of things like a cleaner environment, reduction of climate change, etc., and yet not to want anything to change for you personally.

 

...I was lumping that into (1) to include preference for electric driving
I agree there is a
(3) some buy expensive EV (such as pro-football players) as a luxury car option ...
they are not really committed like (1) nor trying for low cost like (2)

 

I think the Volt is an eloquent approach, decent electric range, no range anxiety. Something similar, with modest increase in range, improved gas mileage, and better passenger/cargo capacity could tip buyers?

 

It isn't just the luxury drivers. The Leaf and Miev, heck the Fiat 500e are more responsive than a Porsche (responsiveness of the accelerator pedal).
The electric drivetrain in any of the EVs is incredibly smooth and consistent.
It is just a more pleasurable driving experience than a similar cost ICE.

This is why I suggest test drive events are so important.

 

What is really holding EVs back is the restriction of freedom, time and convenience. You can only go so far, it takes to long to recharge and you can not just recharge anywhere. Hybrid, conventional gas and diesel vehicles do not have this problem.

 

That's why gm did its freedom ride PHEVs can refuel anywhere there is regular gas, and anywhere there is a plug.

Those buying plug-ins talk about the covience of simply pluging in at home. There is a lot of education that needs to be done with any new tech, and that takes time.