Global electric car sales to hit 1 million mark
The global electric car sales figures is expected to hit the one million mark after September. This optimistic figure includes sales of both the Plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) as well as the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) which is basically a hybrid vehicle with an electric motor as well as an internal combustion engine and also one that has batteries that can be recharged by plugging in to electric wall sockets. This is an indication of a positive trend of consumers moving towards cleaner and alternative fuel type cars for their everyday transportation needs. The country that witnessed the fastest growth rate is the UK where they are also referred to as Ultra low emission vehicles (ULEV) and their sales have risen by 256 % when compared to the previous year, with more than 9000 units already sold in the first quarter of 2015. This has prompted the UK Department for Transport to announce a new study into wireless charging for electric vehicles on motorways.
Earlier it was believed that people in the UK used electric cars only for short distance or intra-city commutes while opting for either Petrol or diesel cars for long distance drives. But that too seems to be changing now with a new Government study suggesting that the overall usage of electric cars is comparable with that of conventional cars.
Transport Minister Andrew Jones has said “As this report shows, plug-in vehicles are cheap to run, can be used every day and owner satisfaction is incredibly high. The UK Government is investing £500 million over the next five years in ultra low emission vehicles, innovative technology and charging infrastructure. Hetal Shah who heads the Government supported campaign known as the ‘Go ultra low’ said “Brits are really starting to wake up to benefits of electric motoring. With driving costs from as little as 2p a mile, coupled with the wide range of cars now available, from city run-arounds and family hatchbacks to 4x4s and sports cars, there’s an electric car to suit almost every lifestyle.”
While the leading global manufacturers of EVs (Electric vehicles) are Nissan, Mitsubishi, Tesla and Toyota, the US market is dominated by Chevrolet, Nissan, Toyota, Tesla and Ford. Back home in the UK, the leading EV makers are Tesla, BMW, Volkswagen, Mitsubishi and Renault.
Most of the PEVs and PHEVs sold around the world are passenger car types but sales of heavier vehicles such as vans, utility trucks and buses are also on the rise. Talking about heavy-duty electric vehicles, one country that is making rapid headway in this segment is China. China leads the race with over 22000 units sold during the first half of 2015. The country is rapidly rolling out its BYD electric buses, BYD being a popular Chinese brand of EVs which is gaining a stronger foothold in the global market. Aiming to catch up, the UK had ordered 51 BYD electric buses and all the single-deck buses are expected to go completely emission free by the year 2020.
Vijay Ram