Has The Electric Car Revolution Already Become An Evolutionary Failure?

Rather than electrifying auto buyers, the plug-in car revolution is feeling more like a fizzle.

A year after the first two plug-in electric cars from major makers went on sale, buyers appear put off by high sticker prices -- even with federal subsidies -- and, for the moment, by more-stable gasoline prices.

The Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt also have had their own issues. For owners of the Leaf, and other electric-only vehicles, there still are relatively few places to plug in and recharge away from home, limiting use. And the Volt, which has a backup gas engine to run a generator for extended range, is under the shadow of a government safety probe of why its big lithium-ion battery pack could catch fire weeks after suffering severe damage in crash tests.

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AlleVier - 12/27/2011 1:46:14 PM

+2 Boost

"buyers appear put off by high sticker prices"

Well, I guess that makes them NOT buyers--buyers being the ones who, you know, buy them. But yes, this idea that electric cars are a failure is sound. New products should only be introduced when they are fully realized, cheap, and without drawbacks. I learned that when everybody was pushing media technology away from VHS tapes, but I didn't fall for it. Still got my trusty VHS unit and I ask you, where are those fancy laser-discs now?

LexSucks - 12/27/2011 5:26:39 PM

0 Boost

"Still got my trusty VHS unit,and I ask you, where are those fancy laser-discs now?"

- Low resolution much? Laser discs? LOL!! You ever heard of a 1080p PVR? Or were you expecting laser discs to be the next best thing? Just because one technology fails doesn't mean that you have to stick with the same old technology forever (like you’re doing with VHS, lol!).

AlleVier - 12/28/2011 12:23:03 PM

+1 Boost

Understand sarcasm much?

vdiv - 12/28/2011 6:11:38 PM

+1 Boost

Considering the extraordinary barriers that the EVs are facing, such as the deep recession, the natural disasters in East Asia, the FUD perpetuated by the media, the tremendous ongoing push-back from the established interests, and the relatively stable gas prices, it is amazing that one can buy a production EV at all. Jumping into a pure EV is a big change (or revoultion if you wish). However the propagation of hybrids and their evolution into extended range plug-in hybrids that have a feasible EV only mode are the baby steps leading to pure EVs.

Just look at modern ICE powered cars. Most of their systems are now electric. Direct fuel injection and metering, direct ignition, throttle by wire, brakes by wire, steering by wire, electronic safety features such as cameras, supersonic and RF radar, night vision, IR locks, IR rain-sensing, etc., a myriad of computers connected by data networks, wireless connectivity and black-box storage. Why is it so unconceivable that the onboard fuel and engine can be electric?