Tuesday 31 May, 2011. The Green Piece Column.
Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are slowly seeping into society but it will still take a bold motorist to be among the early adopters of the technology.
However, a global study by Accenture revealed that the majority of consumers would actually consider a plug-in electric vehicle as their next car purchase (see article) – but unsurprisingly this commitment comes with more than its fair share of catches.
Hedging bets
According to the study “Plug-in electric vehicles: changing perceptions, hedging bets”, which surveyed 7,000 people in 13 different countries, 60 per cent of consumers are actually willing to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle as their next car with 68 per cent saying they are almost certain to do so within the next three years. Drivers in China showed particular enthusiasm for the vehicles, with 96 per cent saying they will make the switch within three years.
However, while the open-mindedness towards plug-in electric vehicles is encouraging, many of the respondents placed a number of caveats and conditions to what it would take for them to switch – and these would appear to indicate that the technology still has a long way to go.
For example, 67 per cent of consumers are not willing to let charge point operators limit when they can charge their plug-in vehicles, with a further 20 per cent only willing to accept limits if they fall within time periods they have chosen. This would effectively reduce the scope for utilities to manage electricity demand and avoid grid congestion.
Similarly, 62 per cent reject the idea of battery swapping and prefer to plug in their vehicle to recharge the battery. This could also limit the chance to charge off peak – which is when most battery swap companies would charge batteries.
Consumers also appear to have high expectations for how these plug-in vehicles will work, with 71 per cent preferring plug-in hybrids and only 29 per cent saying they would opt for fully electric vehicles. Eighty five per cent believe that plug-in electric vehicles have insufficient battery range to cover daily driving needs; 83 per cent believe there is not enough availability of charging points; and 70 per cent think charging times for electric vehicles are too long.
Perhaps the starkest statistic however, was that even though the average driver only travels 40miles per day, 52 per cent said a vehicle would need a range of at least 249miles if they were to even consider a plug-in vehicle.
Social scene
The study from Accenture wasn’t the only significant insight into what it might take for us to move to plug-in vehicles released in the last few weeks. The Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California at Davis also offered its own research, suggesting some very different hurdles to our adoption of the technology (see article).
It suggests that social influences will also have a key role to play. In particular it points to aspects such as contagion and conformity – for example, many of us will rely on interpersonal information to offer reassurances that the technology is right for us.
Similarly, it will be interesting to see how individuals work out whether or not the technology is right for them and the questions they ask themselves. There are obvious considerations about whether or not the technology will help them save money, but beyond that there are aspects such as whether it will be socially accepted to drive a green car, or whether they could be ridiculed for being among the early adopters. In addition, will the purchase of a plug-in electric vehicle be part of a wider push towards environmental sensitivity?
Our verdict – Lessons to be learned
It takes a brave soul – and usually a substantial income – to be among the first adopters of any new technology. It can be a notoriously slow process to gain wide acceptance for anything new – and it often takes substantial competition on the marketplace before consumers really embrace an innovation.
However, the study by Accenture indicates that the enthusiasm for plug-in technology is there, even if expectations are currently unrealistic. It will take considerable efforts to educate the public on the benefits of driving a car with a shorter range; and it will take vast investment to supply a suitable number of charging points so that range anxiety can be overcome.
Perhaps it is the social study however, that indicates where the solution to these problems can come from. The paper highlights the need to market to a social network rather than only the individual car buyer; and that there is a need to stimulate discussion of societal benefits. This starts at government level as it can implement policies that act as an interaction with car buyers and investigate strategies beyond simply offering financial incentives and disincentives and the provision of functional information.
There is a need to let the public know that the plug-in vehicle future is not only inevitable, but it’s also brighter – that the issues with the technology are disappearing and that the benefits are far-reaching. The brains behind plug-in vehicles are clearly capable of thinking outside the box – now it is down to governments to do the same to get this very positive message across.
Faye Sunderland.
