Electric Vehicles Battle Plug-In Hybrids for Top Spot

As technology progresses in the automotive industry, new types of vehicles have begun to emerge. By now, we are all familiar with the traditional hybrid vehicle. The Toyota Prius is a great example of a hybrid vehicle. However, new technologies are surfacing that do not fit into the traditional hybrid category. Vehicles such as extended range electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles are just around the corner, yet little is known about these new vehicle technologies and less is known about the potential future for these vehicles.

General Motors has taken the approach of producing an extended range electric vehicle. The vehicle, known as the Chevy Volt, will be released this fall. An extended range electric vehicle offers increased range over an electric vehicle by way of an on-board gasoline powered generator. The generator recharges the vehicle's batteries while driving down the road. The complexity of the extended range electric vehicle increased its price substantially. The Chevy Volt is expected to cost close to $40,000 when it is released.

It appears as though even General Motors has some doubts about the future success of the extended range electric vehicle setup. It was recently mentioned that GM North America President Mark Reuss believes that battery electric vehicles will likely see higher demand in the near future than extended range plug-ins like the Chevy Volt. The words of Reuss came during a recent web chat. Reuss added that the extended range electric vehicle will likely be popular at its launch and perhaps for a short time after, but looking to the future, the demand for the full electric vehicle will outstrip the demand for the EREV setup.

In response to the acknowledgment by General Motors regarding the future of EREVs, the company has noted that they too will focus on full electric vehicles or battery electric vehicles soon. The benefits of the electric vehicle are numerous and include a simple powertrain setup, a lower cost compared to the EREV setup, no use of gasoline for motivation down the road, no emissions, and so on.

It's anticipated that demand for small electric vehicles will be high in the future. The range of electric vehicles is currently limited due to battery technology and this is likely the biggest hurdle faced in the years ahead. If short range can be overcome with either battery advancement or charging station found throughout the country, the electric vehicle could become the vehicle of choice ahead.

Source: Detroit Free Press March 14th Print Edition