Sales of electric cars have been slower than many would have expected but you feel that once this type of vehicle makes a breakthrough, the market will be flooded with a whole host of new makes and models. The concerns that have come with electric cars such as slow speeds, cramped interiors and short battery ranges are gradually being answered and this can only lead to an upturn in sales as a whole.
One of the biggest launches in recent years has been the Nissan Leaf, which came in with a price tag of around £30,000 and underlined many of the advances in electric car technology. The Leaf is a much roomier car than many that have gone before and it claims a top speed of around 93 miles per hour.
The question of battery range was the subject of some controversy and while Nissan claimed that it was around 100 miles, the US Environmental Protection Agency declared that in tests, the average range worked out at around 73 miles. Even so, these figures are heading in the right direction as far as electric cars are concerned and the range is certainly enough to cover most domestic journeys.
Elsewhere, the Toyota Prius has made good strides since its introduction into the electric car market back in 1997. One of the issues for many consumers is the cost of a new electric car but you can now find a good selection of Toyota Prius cars from a number of sources. The Prius has come in for praise and criticism in equal measure over the years. One issue was over the life of the battery and many people found that it needed replacing after about ten years and at considerable expense. However, with every new model the range improves and battery life and range can only get better as this particular car evolves.
Many of the big manufacturers either have an electric car in production or in the pipeline and the Chevrolet Volt is an interesting vehicle that has split opinion in America where it was released.Many feel that the Volt is little more than a publicity stunt from a company that has been associated with gas guzzling cars throughout its existence. At a top speed of around 100 miles per hour and with a bigger, more comfortable design, the Volt has answered two main issues but with a battery range of between 25 and 50 miles, it is unlikely to have much of a worldwide impact.
All across the automobile world, manufacturers are working on electric vehicles and maybe we can expect to see Smart take a lead in the race to develop a car that finally makes a huge breakthrough in the market.
At the other end of the scale from the small electric vehicles, Rolls Royce unveiled an electric version of their Phantom at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2011. At the moment, it is still in test stage but Rolls Royce has stated that they fully intend to explore the as yet untapped market for luxury electric cars.
Whatever happens, the market for electric cars is set to grow and with design evolving and improving all the time, the world awaits the new developments with great interest.
