How about Eight years later ? there are no solar powered vehicles are produced commercially in the United States.
The call of President Barack Obama in the state speech last week about the target of 1 million high-tech vehicle on U.S. roads by 2015 still seems too vague, says Michael Omotoso, director of global powertrain forecasting at JD Power and Associates in Troy, Mich..
"I think that's excessive goal. We think that figure will be not reached by 2015," Omotoso said in an interview as quoted by Bloomberg.
The U.S. has invested more than 25 billion dollars for the development of advanced vehicle technology and it has two large factories to mass produce electric vehicles of the Chevrolet Volt and Nisaan Leaf. However, batteries are expensive and limited market for compact cars cruising the limited power becoming a constraint on achieving the desired target Obama, said Omotoso.
The U.S. government is already estimating the challenge. Vehicle manufacturers are expected to sell about 281 thousand electric vehicles and pick-up from 2011 to 2015.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Agency, that number does not include an electric-powered hybrid vehicles and fuel. The agency estimates that in 2011 sales figures estimated to achieve 31 thousand units will increase to 71 thousand units in 2015.
The latest data shows there are 326 Volt and 19 Leaf sold.Volt was sold for 40,280 dollars, while Leaf was 32,780 dollars.
According to Art Spinella, CNW's Marketing Research Chairman in Bandon, Oregon, Obama target may be achieved if the U.S. government give support to at least 9 billion U.S. dollars in the form of reduced state and federal taxes. "There is a big gap between prices and purchasing power," said Spinella.
Another idea to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles came James Colon, vice president for Toyota's product communications.
He points out that the better a particular vehicle is allowed to use a special bus lane, in this way according to him is more apt to attract buyers instead of giving tax facilities.
"Giving tax breaks to vehicles, it is hard to sell, of course, it will not make the target achieved," Colon said in an interview at the Washington Auto Show last week.
Meanwhile Omotoso said that Nissan Motor Co. will be the winner in electric vehicles, this is because they are increasingly used to selling to consumers, the first position is followed by General Motors Co., which it will reach about 24 percent of the electric car market. The third position will be occupied by Honda Motor Co., which it is at least several years behind in sales of electric models.
Ed Cohen, vice president of Honda affairs of government and industry in Washington, noted the difference between a special word of Obama on electric cars because the text refers to the vehicles' high-tech ".
"Our company is particularly interested in cell technology, we expect the target (set out by Obama) that covers all federal investment in technology and also includes other advanced technologies (other than electric vehicles and hydrogen," he said.
Cohen said the Honda works on all the advanced technology, including plug-in hybrid like the Volt and electric cars like the Leaf. "The government should not appoint the winner", he said.
"It is important to not hold any technological developments, and it is important for governments to send market signals are right," said Cohen.
If there are 1 million electric vehicles on the road then the first lithium-ion battery prices should fall dramatically or there is a breakthrough technology that makes power electric vehicles comparable to a tank of fuel, said Omotoso.
"Environmental Protection Agency estimates Volt driving in the range of just 35 miles. Modifier can add 344 more miles with gasoline engines to achieve the combined distance of 379 miles", GM said in a statement in November.
EPA said in November, Nissan Leaf explore the 73 miles with a fully charged battery in the test fuel economy. The company has forecast a range of driving 62 miles to 138 miles, depending on conditions.
The Obama administration has supported previous efforts to trigger a new technology using 25 billion dollars loan from the Department of Energy for interest-free so that the automotive manufacturers will improve economically fueled technology..
Ed Welburn, vice president of GM's global design, said "it is accelerating the availability of Volt which went on sale in all U.S. dealerships by the end of the year, so it was not in 2012".
Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com, an automotive research site based in Santa Monica, Calif., says sales of electric cars is wrong because the driver offered to private. According to Anwyl, electric vehicles should be sold are to fleets, such as the van for delivery komersial.Armada have more charge in a predictable, he said.
quated from Aditia Maruli
