IBM: EVs Are Interesting, But Is This Enough?

Having witnessed the birth of a new age in motoring, we are now left to ponder whether the rise of the electric vehicle will have a meaningful impact on the industry and the world.   The auto industry says they will, but pretty much everybody else doubts it. EVs will work, will be adopted, but probably much slower to mean anything for us, the current generation.

A recent study conducted by IBM's Institute for Business Value (IBV) shows that, although most drivers are interested in EVs, not all (read the majority) are not yet ready to buy one as their next car.

Out of the 1,716 US drivers questioned, only 19 percent said they would most likely buy an EV as their next car. The rest of the people questioned, although favorable to EVs, condition buying one on several factors.

Thirty percent of respondents said they would consider switching to an EV if it got 100 miles (161 km) or less per charge, and only 40 percent are ready to pay up to 20 percent more for an electric car that provides pretty much the same performances as the cheaper, easier to use hybrids.

The biggest thorn remains however the charging infrastructure, or to be more precise, lack off. People are reluctant in spending a fortune to retrofit their homes with chargers (only 13 percent of drivers would consider spending more than $1,000 for a home charger), while considerable charging times at existing points deters most.

"Even under optimal circumstances, fully recharging an electric-only vehicle takes hours," said Kal Gyimesi, IBV automotive lead.

"So, it is crucially important that we build an infrastructure that can charge vehicles where their owners park them for extended periods of time - whether that is at home or at work, school, or the store."