Recently, electric cars have had a major increase in sales and popularity, and it does not seem like this growth is going to stop any time soon. The rising commitment from automakers and the strong policy support from state and local governments are just two reasons that electric cars will continue to have a major increase in popularity.
One of the reasons that electric cars could take a major jump in popularity is the prices of the vehicles. Right now, most electric cars cost above $50,000 making them unaffordable for most people. But, with more car companies producing their own electric cars, they could become more affordable for everyone. A study done by Yale University and published in ¨Yale Environment 360¨, the costs to build electric cars will drop upto 30% and make electric cars as affordable as conventional cars.
Many companies are beginning to produce their own electric vehicles and are continuing to produce electric vehicles. Two cars that are expected to be released in the next couple years are the Rivian RT1 and the Tesla Roadster.
The Rivian RT1 is a new all electric pickup truck made by an electric vehicle manufacturer from Bloomington, IL that is going to start at $70,000 and is going to be made for all day use. The company is expecting to begin placing orders in late 2020. According to a June, 2019 article in ¨Forbes¨, we will not only will be see electric light duty pickup trucks produced in the near future but will see buses and large cargo trucks produced and sold.
One complaint that electric car companies have heard over the years is that electric cars are not sporty and fast. Tesla Motor Company is the first to address this complaint. They have designed the new Tesla Roadster, a convertible sports car. The Roadster is expected to be one of the quickest cars in the world. It will have a 0-60mph time of just 1.9 seconds and a top speed of over 250 mph and will start at $250,000.
One thing that most electric car owners complain about is not having charging stations that are easily accessible. However, many companies have discussed placing charging stations around the country, similar to gas stations. This idea has created a new type of business model that is growing quickly. Electric charging stations are expected to increase 600% by the year 2023. This would make it very easy for things like road trips or long distance travel, when you need to quickly find a charging station.
As the popularity of electric cars continues to grow and the cost to produce them drop, the electric car industry will continue to change. The number of models, and types cars available will increase quickly, and the ease of finding a charging station will take the hassle out of owning one. Within just a short few years, it is easy to expect that most households will own at least one.