A Different Electric Dream

A $400,000 Tesla Model S is not the only way for us to embrace batterypowered mobility.

- Christopher Tan

ELECTRIC cars are not new. The first cars made more than 100 years ago were battery powered. Electric propulsion declined as the availability of fuel for internal combustion engines grew.

Ever since then, electric cars have been trying to make a comeback, but with little success. General Motors’ daliance with the electric car in the 1990s ended as suddenly as it started. Conspiracy theories abound, but the main reasons for GM’s EV1 failing was probably high purchase cost and restricted range.

Today, these are still the very reasons impeding the growth of electric vehicles (EVs). Except for countries where government incentives are high, such as Norway, Iceland, Holland and Sweden, the penetration of EVs remains negligible.

Worldwide, total sales of EVs crossed the 1.5 million mark in May this year, accounting for a mere 0.15% of total vehicle population.

This slow take-up explains why the line-up of electric cars remains small, which in a perverse way contributes to the slow take-up of these cars.

So, besides cost and range, choice of products is another reason why electric cars are not taking off. There are other secondary reasons as well, such as low confidence in a relatively untested technology, and fear of losing familiar driving sensations.

But if you were to pick the top reason for EV sales staying in the slow lane, it would be cost. And currently, the only way to mitigate this is with government subsidies.