Sunday, January 20, 2013

Electric Vehicles: 10 Predictions for 2013

From Pike Research:

If 2012 was the year when the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) industry shifted from neutral to first gear, then the industry will be racing ahead in second gear in 2013.... Sales of PEVs in 2013 will continue to outpace the first years of hybrid vehicle sales as more than 210,000 PEVs will be sold globally and more than three dozen PEV models will debut. Consumers will have a much greater variety in vehicle types and in all-electric range, while consumer familiarity with the capabilities of the segment will also greatly increase.

California will continue to drive PEV sales in the United States as purchases will expand into smaller urban and suburban regions with more dealers beginning to offer the vehicles. In China, the PEV market will begin to reap the benefits of the many international automotive joint- ventures (JVs) that have developed during prior years. The industry will not be without its casualties and consolidation as several startup electric vehicle (EV) companies are likely to be absorbed or discontinue operations during the year.

Electric vehicle charging infrastructure, which is now accessible in many large cities in the developed world, provides a baseline of public charging to pacify anxious EV drivers and will be more frequently utilized in 2013. Increasingly detailed analytics about PEV sales and charging habits will be the basis for identifying the most suitable locations for public EV charging. This data will begin to offer value to vehicle manufacturers and utilities as the percentage of PEV sales in some cities will approach double digits.

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