EVLN(Electric vehicles to become a thing of the past)
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--- {EVangel}
http://www3.cosmiverse.com/news/tech/0902/tech09040203.html
Electric vehicles to become a thing of the past
September 4, 2002 01:10PM CDT
Ford motor company�s enthusiasm for electric vehicles seems
to have finally run out of steam. Ford announced it will
follow rival companies General Motors and Honda in ceasing
production of battery-powered cars and turn its attention to
hybrid electric-gasoline engines that are more attractive to
the consumer.
Ford first introduced a two-seater electric car three years
ago. The TH!NK City vehicle, along with a golf cart known as
TH!NK Neighbor were primed to be big sellers for the
company. Sadly, the actual numbers have been very
disappointing. Ford had hoped to sell 5000 of the cars each
year, and 10,000 of the carts, but these projections turned
out to be wildly optimistic. Demand for the vehicles was
much lower - only about 1000 of the cars have been produced,
and less than 1700 of the carts have been sold to date in
2002.
"The bottom line is we don't believe that this is the future
of environmental transport for the mass market," Tim Holmes
of Ford Europe said on Friday while speaking to New
Scientist. "We feel we have given electric our best shot."
The Think City has a range of only about 53 miles and up to
a six- hour battery recharge time. General Motors' EV1
electric vehicle also had a limited range, of about 100
miles.
The very expensive batteries also mean electric cars cost
much more than petrol-powered alternatives. An electric
Toyota RAV4 EV vehicle costs over $42,000 in the US,
compared with just $17,000 for the petrol version. Toyota
and Nissan are now the only major auto manufacturers to
produce electric vehicles.
"There is a feeling that battery electric has been given its
chance. Ford now has to move on with its hybrid program, and
that is what we will be judging them on," Roger Higman,
senior transport campaigner at UK Friends of the Earth, told
the Environment News Service.
Toyota and Honda have introduced hybrid cars into the
marketplace during the past few years, with much success.
Hybrid engines offer greater mileage than petrol-only
engines, and the batteries recharge themselves. Ford says it
thinks such vehicles will help it meet planned new
guidelines on vehicle emissions in the US.
However, it is not yet clear exactly what those guidelines
will permit. In June, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler won
a court injunction, delaying by two years Californian
legislation requiring car-makers to offer 100,000
zero-emission and other low-emission vehicles in the state
by 2003.
Car manufacturers are hoping the legislation will be
rewritten to allow for more low-emission, rather than
zero-emission, vehicles.
Source: New Scientist
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