Electric cars towards a turning point
Ongoing technological innovation and partnerships between electricity companies and car manufacturers are aimed at making electric vehicles more cost-effective
A widespread use of electric cars is a crucial way to reduce carbon emissions from transportation. Nevertheless, this target can only be achieved by making this option not only environmentally friendly, but also cost-effective for consumers, compared with traditional vehicles.
For instance, a recent survey conducted in the USA by Pike Research showed that the popularity of hybrid plug-in vehicles (that is, those also equipped with electric drive having an external battery charging system) fell by 40%, compared with 44% in 2010 and 48% in 2008. This is due to costs, which are still high compared with traditional vehicles.
This result is not surprising, considering that when consumers make their choices economic motivations count more than the environmental ones, though the latter are increasingly influential.
Nevertheless, over the next few years this trend is expected to reverse, also because of oil prices, which will apparently remain high.
In 2005 the average consumption of electric cars was equivalent to about 8 litres of gasoline for 100 kilometres. Over the last five years, according to the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI), this data improved by an average 1.6% per year. Nevertheless, GFEI is planning on achieving average improvements of 2.7% per year, thus diminishing the consumption of electric cars to 4 litres/100 km by 2030. In short, the popularity of the electric drive and its rate of penetration is closely connected to technical improvements.
This is why innovative projects developed through partnerships between power companies and car manufacturers are essential and are widespread all over the world.
The Enel Group plays a central role also in this field, for example with e-mobility, a project that it has developed together with Mercedes, aimed at experimenting a smart charging infrastructure in Italy. Moreover, it has signed agreements with Citroën, Toyota, Piaggio, Peugeot, Mitsubishi and a partnership with Renault-Nissan to promote the widespread use of electric vehicles.