Novelty factor draining from EVs

Los Angeles The real revenge of the electric car will be when it's no longer that special.
After two days of press previews at the LA Auto Show, it's apparent that these cars have lost some of their media magic and have just joined the fold of other vehicles. Really, for electric vehicle enthusiasts, that's good news. And for the rest of us weary of kilowatts and hypermiling, it's great news.
During the show, there wasn't much hoopla made over many EVs. The Green Car of the Year ran on natural gas, not electricity, sending the message that electric cars aren't the only way to be environmentally sensitive.
The 2012 Ford Focus electric sits along the edge of the Ford Motor Co. display just like any other car. Five years ago, Ford would have parked it on the biggest spinning podium it could find and had trumpeters sound every time a person approached. Now, it's just part of the mix.
And there are reasons that carmakers may not be showcasing too many electrics.
"Everyone has to have some sort of electric vehicle, but it's still not something anyone is going to sell many of," said Jack Nerad, automotive analyst for Kelley Blue Book.
Indeed, the projections for electric car sales remain low, even though more and more EVs are coming on line and silently rolling into dealerships.
Ed Kim, automotive analyst for AutoPacific Inc., said sales of electric vehicles could hit 150,000 by 2015, which could make up 1 percent of the vehicles sold in the United States.
But these cars have never been only about weaning America off oil or protecting the environment. They are about image and a company's future reputation. Go electric or go home.
Electric vehicles are certainly not about making money, Nerad told me as we walked the show floor. These vehicles don't pull in profits, and most are likely money losers.
"The Prius lost money for years," Nerad said.
But it also created more goodwill for Toyota than any other vehicle. And it's the one hybrid sold that can be considered a mainstream vehicle.
Dave Champion, senior director at Consumer Reports, said electric vehicles still have a tough road to drive for consumer acceptance.
"The marketplace for people who want electric cars is very small," he said. "With its limitations, it's a vehicle that almost has to be a family's second car."
The technology is too expensive, making the cars too expensive. The batteries are too big, don't store enough energy and take too long to recharge. And the vehicles still don't have enough range.
"Cost and convenience," Kim summed up the problems electric vehicles face.
But that won't stop Honda, Nissan, Chevrolet, Mini and others from building them and offering them to consumers. BMW showcased its concept i3 and i8 cars that are imaginative and exciting. But those are still in concept form, and when the real models arrive, they won't be as exhilarating. No, they'll likely be just as boring as all of the others.
Eventually, these cars will grow in popularity — most likely when gas prices top $6 a gallon and the cars continue to improve performance and come down in price.
Most experts say the cars need to top 150 miles to be useful, though I think the magic number is 200 miles on a single charge.
But EVs have already crossed an important threshold after the Los Angeles show....
Source: http://detnews.com/article/20111119/OPINION03/111190317/Novelty-factor-draining-from-EVs