UCS Analysis: Auto Manufacturers Aren’t Bringing Enough EVs To Market, A Barrier To Wider Adoption
A new analysis of the electric vehicle market from the Union of Concerned Scientists has found that a major barrier to wider, faster adoption of the technology is simply that auto manufacturers aren’t bringing enough models to market.
Also, the electric vehicle (EV) models that are available aren’t widely available — and can be hard to find even for those who want to purchase them.
The new UCS analysis found that, while “automakers vary widely in terms of how many electric vehicle models they offer and where they sell them, all automakers could be doing more to take full advantage of the potential EV market, especially outside of California,” according to an email sent to CleanTechnica.
In particular, it’s noted that outside of California (where more than half of US EV sales occur) most models simply aren’t buyable — inter-state travel is often necessary for those looking to purchase certain models.
“You can’t buy a car you can’t find,” stated David Reichmuth, a vehicles engineer at UCS and the lead author of the new study. “One of the biggest barriers to EV adoption is that too many automakers fail to make electric options available. The future is electric, but when automakers don’t put effort into building and selling these cars, they’re missing out on an evolving market.”
So, how do the different auto manufacturers stack up? How you would expect them to based on EV sales — amongst the majors, GM, Nissan, and BMW are all noted to be making some effort; while Toyota, Fiat Chrysler, Honda, and Hyundai/Kia don’t seem to have done much to date. (Author’s note: Obviously, Hyundai/Kia has now begun to respond to market changes, though, and will be releasing a fair number of EVs over the coming years.)
The email continues, noting that, “in 2015, BMW was second only to Tesla (which only sells plug-in vehicles); plug-ins made up 3% of its nationwide vehicle sales, and 7% of sales in California. GM and Nissan were early leaders in the market with the Volt and LEAF the top selling plug-in hybrid and battery electric models since 2010. … Toyota had some success with a plug-in version of its popular Prius model, but currently has no plug-in vehicle on the market. Fiat Chrysler has had success in selling its 500e plug-in model in Oregon and California, but does not offer the vehicle for sale in other markets. And Honda has only offered plug-in models in limited numbers over the past several years, with sales since 2011 lower than GM’s EV sales in a single month.”
It’s kind of amazing when you think about it that a company like Honda would, presumably, miss the boat completely on EVs. What’s the reason? It really seems as though the company could have released a compelling alternative to the Nissan LEAF or Chevy Volt, couldn’t it have? Did the company simply have no need to do so because of its ability to already meet CAFE standards? Perhaps its leadership in hybrids and efficient gasmobiles made it complacent?
Continuing: “While most automakers focus on the market for electric vehicles in California, consumers in the Northeast are missing out, with fewer models to choose from and fewer vehicles available on the lot. Even when plug-in models are available in markets outside California, finding one at a dealership can be a challenge. For example, in the first 6 months of 2016, Edmunds.com showed on average more than 2,800 electric vehicles for sale in the Oakland/San Francisco area, but only 317 in the Boston area.”
“Electric vehicles have real potential, but they can’t succeed if automakers don’t give customers the opportunity to test drive and buy them,” commented Don Anair, research and deputy director for the Clean Vehicles program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “State and federal policies are helping drive the EV market forward, but automakers are in the best position to help Americans access the benefits of driving electric vehicles.”
The bolded-text above is exactly why Tesla has been covered in such depth here at CleanTechnica over the last few years — most of the major auto manufacturers have shown no real interest in pushing the EV market forward, while Tesla has functioned very effectively as a sort of kick in the ass to get them moving.
Image by Kyle Field for EV Obsession & CleanTechnica
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