EV sales have actually gone down year over year. And sales have gone well primarily where government offer deep discounts through subsidies.
Source: EV Sales Fizzle
The article blames cost, range anxiety, style and gas prices are low. A related issue, that I do not understand, is that auto makers, especially in the U.S. have abandoned the small vehicle market – they only make trucks and SUVs. Supposedly, few people in the U.S. want to buy small, fuel efficient, less expensive vehicles.
Not surprisingly, US auto manufacturers are planning a lot of very expensive, very big, SUV-type EVs in 2020.
On the range anxiety issue, this article reveals that as of 2019 about one third of all EV charging stations in the U.S. are in California. There are about 20,000 charging stations in the U.S. (versus 150,000 gas stations) – it is estimated that we need 123,000 charging stations open by 2025.
Another auto expert notes that for most people, buying an EV will be the second largest purchase they make in their life – and they are not comfortable with whether the tradeoffs will work out for them.
I have some good ideas of the type of EV I’d like to buy but it doesn’t exist in the U.S. I like small cars, love my Honda Fit. I’d buy a e-Fit with a 200+ mile range. Or Renault Zoe 2020 – but Renault does not sell any of its cars in the U.S. Perhaps a newer Nissan Leaf? Chevy Bolt? The last one looks promising. No spare tires of course. Not much luggage room either. It’s said that vehicles like the Bolt and the Leaf were “compliance” vehicles meant to satisfy government regulations and not necessarily consumer needs.
If the EV makers can’t supply the cars we’d like to buy at the right prices, EVs will remain a niche market for quite while yet. And none of them carry spare tires anymore (not just EVs – the subject of the next post).
