Recent studies have suggested that electrically powered vehicles could become more affordable within the next five years.

The revolution of electric cars got off to a somewhat slow start in the UK, but figures have been slowly improving over the last few years with sales in 2015 reported to be around 49,700.

With the battery pack accounting for around 25 per cent of the overall price, electric cars were somewhat unaffordable on their initial launch.

However, research conducted by Nature.com highlighted battery pack prices (measured by the cost per kilowatt-hour) fell by around 80 per cent between 2010 and 2016, causing vehicles sales to soar in the UK.

Using current trends and patterns, optimistic researchers have predicted electric car battery prices might pass the affordability threshold soon after 2020, with overall sales figures said to be at a staggering 1.6 million in the UK alone.

However, more conservative forecasts have predicted vehicle battery packs will hit the affordability threshold by 2030, with sales figures estimated to be at around 13.6 million.

Source: Car Keys

Four decades ago, the electric car looked set to be an acceptable commuting vehicle within a few years.

From 1977: “The electric car seems inevitable. As oil resources dwindle, it will appear far more prudent to develop an automobile powered by electricity, charged by an already-in-place power generation system, than to invest in huge plants to produce synthetic gasoline. Electric automobiles would snuggle nicely into a large, unexploited niche in the electric economy by recharging at night when electric demand is low and power plant capacity idle.

“But as yet electric cars have proven abysmal technical failures. For example, in its 1975 tests of two electric cars on the market, Consumer Reports magazine found ‘major safety and operating problems.’ The cars performed poorly, not even living up to their modestly advertised abilities. They accelerated sluggishly, balked at hills, and petered out at inopportune times. The magazine declared that ‘it would be foolhardy to drive either car on any public road.’ The electric cars now on the market have a range of only about 30 miles at 50 miles per hour, with 0-to-30 acceleration times of about 12 seconds. What’s more, the cars were not significantly cheaper to run than comparable gasoline-powered subcompacts.

“Two test electric vehicles recently commissioned by the Energy Research and Development Administration could mark some resurgence for the electric car. The two electric car versions are being built for E.R.D.A. by General Electric Co. and AiResearch Manufacturing Co.

“Both vehicles will possess about the same range and performance characteristics—70 miles between charges, 60-mile-an-hour speeds, and 0-to-30 m.p.h. in about eight seconds. They will also both be about the size and weight of a conventional subcompact, and will operate for about the same costs as a conventional car.”

Read more: Technology Review 1977

BRUSSELS – The European Commission is considering the introduction of a ‘zero emission vehicles’ (ZEV) mandate.

If translated into legislation this means that Europe’s car makers will have to comply with minimum quotas for the production and sales of zero emission vehicles. Such a move will give an unprecedented push to the supply of electric vehicles in Europe, while putting an end to the transport sector’s stubborn CO2 emissions which have seen no significant decline over the past decade and still remain higher than in 1990.

he introduction of a ZEV mandate is being deliberated as the EU regulation setting CO2 standards for new cars and vans (together referred to as light duty vehicles) is currently undergoing reform. Late last year the Commission conducted a public consultation, to which Bellona submitted its views, strongly supporting the tightening CO2 standards, and the inclusion of a targeted mechanism, mandating quotas for the sales of zero emission vehicles. The Commission’s legislative proposal is expected later this year, following which it will be handed over to the European Parliament and Member States.

Meeting the EU’s target of reducing CO2 emissions from transport by 60% and eliminating the use of fossil fuels in cars by 2050 will necessitate immediate efforts to transition to a low- and zero-emission transport sector. Existing CO2 legislation has fallen short in doing so however, largely as a result of the inadequacy of the EU vehicle emission testing regime (the NEDC test) which has accompanied fuel economy standards and thus allowed car makers to systematically cheat their way into compliance.

Read more: BELLONA