Sunday, April 11, 2010

Are we ready for electric cars?

From the Gotham Gazette:

Potential demand for electric cars in New York City is strong enough that consumers will likely buy up all available supply for the next several years, according to a PlaNYC study, released in January, that explored potential demand and environmental benefits for electric vehicles in the city.

Consumers here and elsewhere soon will be able to choose between two types of electric vehicles: the plug-in hybrid and the all-electric car. Plug-in hybrids run on an electrical charge for about 40 miles before switching to gas power. The new plug-in-hybrids, like the upcoming Chevy Volt, contain the same technology as the hybrids on the market today but have larger battery packs and get about twice the fuel economy of a conventional hybrid.

All-electric cars, like the upcoming Nissan Leaf, have a range of about 100 miles and are powered by electric motors instead of the gas-powered internal combustion engine found in most current cars. They rely on a battery charged from a standard 120 volt or 240 volt outlet and do not produce carbon emissions while running but require frequent charging.

The PlaNYC study, conducted by McKinsey & Company, surveyed New Yorkers about their driving behavior and their attitudes toward electric cars. It found that 21 percent of city residents are considered potential early adopters, people looking to buy an electric vehicle as soon as they become available for purchase. Partly due to limited supply of electric cars, it found, these early buyers "will likely outstrip the available supply of electric vehicles to the New York market for at least the next five years."

Electric car owners must have a parking space with access to an electrical outlet charge their cars. The early adopters indicated they would for a charging station even without tax incentives and do not see the need for a large public charging network throughout the city.


Photo from the Car Connection

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I sure hope we are cause the smog levels especially in the summer are bad. That major deficit we have came also from the Iraq war for oil that does us no good in any way from the air we breath, hurt and killed soldiers and Iraqi civilians.

LibertyBoyNYC said...

Nothing says "green" like waddling around town with a trunkful of battery acid. Thumbs up!

Anonymous said...

This is not a bad thing, people will want to go green with their cars. The more the better. However access to outlets etc will be key along with Con Edison and other electric utilities who will also need to provide outlets in public spaces for those motorists without own outlets, including visitors. There will also be grid issues if this could be even accommodated in certain high electric use periods in the summer etc.

Anonymous said...

21%? Who did they survey to come up with a number like that? That's bullshit if I ever smelled it.

Deke DaSilva said...

From "Stuff White People Like":

Within white culture, your choice of transportation method says a lot about you. For example a Prius says you care about the Earth, a bicycle shows you REALLY care about the earth, and a bus shows that you are probably not white.

Lino uses busses and subways said...

"Deke DaSilva said...
From "Stuff White People Like":
Within white culture, your choice of transportation method says a lot about you. For example a Prius says you care about the Earth, a bicycle shows you REALLY care about the earth, and a bus shows that you are probably not white."

The person that wrote that is either reaching for a punchline..or doesn't live in New York City. -EVERYONE- rides buses and subs here.

As for electric cars, it is little more than a guilt assuage-er, It simply shifts the burden from a gas tank onto the electrical supply and does nothing to cut down on all the idiots that clog our streets with their mookmobiles.

I am all over Manhattan, Queens and Bergen Co and Jersey City, I constantly see traffic crawling along because of single-passenger autos.

At some point it will become inevitable to restrict or charge motorists entering crowded downtown areas in order to ease congestion.

Anonymous said...

Right, because Manhattan should only be car accessible to people who can afford to pay a fee.

Anonymous said...

Right, because Manhattan should only be car accessible to people who can afford to pay a fee.

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Manhattan shoudnt be car accessible at all!

Anonymous said...

If electric cars ARE the wave of the future, then Flushing's Municipal Lot would be a logical place to have public charging centers, since it's located close to the subway & LIRR. It would be a much greener & community-friendly solution than the insanely out-of-scale Flushing Commons disaster in the making.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, love the bus joke, although I am white. The truth is "white" in this story is subtext for monied. It costs real $$$ to buy a Prius.

electric cylinders said...

with the car trends this days, for sure many people would surely get into the electric cars hype

enemy of the electric cars said...

soooooooo ur sayin that the electric car (witch is very likely to catch on fire,has only 100 miles on a charge, and uses coal energy) is green!!!!!!