Electric Cars - future of auto industry

Introduction

After the development of combustion engine and manufacture line at the end of 19th century, cars stopped from being an oddity for the rich and become more and more part of everyone daily life. There is an estimate of more then 650 millions cars on roads today and each year more then 50 millions are manufactured .

Lately though there are three questions of great concern that are more and more analyzed:

1. What are we going to do when oil reserves are going to be depleted?
2. What are we going to do facing a potentially destructive economic crisis because of the impact of car industry in global economy?
3. What are we doing with the increased pollution with potentially deadly effects for environment in the long term?

Apparently, the answer to those questions is “Electric cars”. There are not oil dependent, non-pollution and have the same capacity of sustaining business. So far, there were only rumors, but recently, two entities that have a major impact in mass manufacture of electric cars began to take actions. First, the governments around the world, who provide incentives both for the companies by according grants for research and development in this particular area and for the citizen by providing subvention for those who buy an electric cars . Second, the biggest companies around the world that manufacture cars announced plans for development of mass production line for electric cars.

Advantages and disadvantages of electric cars

Like all technologies, there are pros and cons of electric cars.

Advantages:

* No tailpipe emissions – there are no pollution emission from electric cars. Of course, some of the energy that is required in order to drive is made from burning coal that is a major source of pollution, but, since new energy sources are used more and more such as wind, sun or nuclear power we can expect a totally green car in the years to come.

* No more refueling - you can recharge your car at home. Plug into a normal outlet over night and by morning your car is recharged. Or you can do this with a “special charger” that cut the recharge time up to 15 minutes.

* Reduced maintaining costs – all facts state that electric motor is extremely reliable, much better from this point of view then combustion engine.

* Reduced fuel costs – compared to a combustion car you are looking over a bill lighter with around 1.000 $ (electricity versus gas)

Disadvantages:

* Driving range – today technology offer the possibility to drive without recharge for max 150 miles. Although that is not a real issue for daily purpose, it is still quite limited in case you have to make long drives, especially for commercial fleets.

* Pricing premium – because of higher technology implicated the price is considerably larger than a normal combustion engine car. However that is balanced out, taking in account subventions granted by the governments and the cost reduction with fuel and maintenance over the life expectancy of the car.

Predictions

Up to 2015 there is an expectation of about 3 million electric cars being produced. While a proper infrastructure is going to be put in place and new technology will provide cheaper and better cars, after 2020 the number of electric cars manufactured yearly is anticipated to increase exponentially and between years 2030-2040 to become the new standard, replacing internal combustion cars almost exclusively.

Today’s offer

Couple of electric cars that are or will be in mass production up to end of 2011