Indian market for EVs still nascent: Auto makers

While Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has taken a lead in development of electric vehicles (EVs) by buying the majority stake in Reva Electric Car Company, other car makers are also developing concept vehicles to cater to the emerging demand for EVs in India in the years to come.

At the moment, that demand is still quite small. By industry estimates, less than five per cent of the passenger car market in India would comprise electric cars over the next five-seven years, at 1,75,000 units, when the industry size would double to 3.5 million units, as against over 1.6 million in 2009. Globally, it is anticipated that by 2020, five per cent or nearly two million cars would be EVs.

Maruti Suzuki India, country’s largest passenger car manufacturer, had showcased the SX4 hybrid and an electric vehicle on the platform of its recently launched Eeco. Its Japanese parent, Suzuki Motor Corporation, already has an electric van called Every+ and a plug-in hybrid version of Swift. In fact, Maruti is also developing some demo cars, both hybrids and EVs, for the coming Commonwealth Games and it feels these vehicles could be used for future development of EVs.

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Hawaii's weather, high gasoline costs lure electric vehicles

HONOLULU — Hawaiians like to think of themselves as early adopters — especially when it comes to electricity.

The first car imported to Hawaii in 1899 was an electricvehicle.
The royal Iolani Palace, home to the former king, lays claim to having electricity installed less than seven years after Thomas Edison invented the first practical light bulb.
Now, state officials and business leaders want Hawaii to become the real-world test ground for a burgeoning electric and alternative-fuel car industry.
Hawaii’s goal is to have 50,000 electric cars on the road by 2015 — and perhaps as many as 200,000 by 2030 — and to establish a network of electric charging stations.
“It’s a very exciting time for us because we know we are well-positioned to be a place where these vehicles can work because we simply don’t drive that far in Hawaii,” Gov. Linda Lingle said.
Big goals, to say the least, given that the U.S. electric car market is still in its infancy and Hawaiians purchased only 33,600 new vehicles last year.
But Hawaii has a big incentive. Because it imports virtually all its energy, Hawaii routinely has the highest gas prices in the U.S. On Friday, a gallon of unleaded gasoline averaged $2.73. In Hawaii? $3.51.

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