By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI.org
News staff
KINGSTON —
Electric-vehicle sales are on the rise, prices are dropping, 13 models are in
showrooms and new public charging stations are on the way.
It seems the EV, in
all its varieties, is at least gaining some traction with consumers. Sales,
though below projections, have tripled since 2012.
As the shift from
novelty to a viable product continues, the vehicles and the infrastructure for
recharging are improving.
During the July 11
"Take Charge Two!" electric-vehicle conference at the University of
Rhode Island, Paul Young of charging-station maker Juice Bar noted that 100
years ago automobile gas was bought in a hardware store. Today, there are some
120,000 gas stations in the United States.
Young said conspicuous
charging stations attract more EV drivers. After lackluster use, the charging
stations at T.F. Green Airport and the Wickford Junction train station, owned
by Juice Bar, are getting more use, he said. “The cars are finally here now,
people are really going to start buying the cars," he said.
Charging stations are
becoming more user friendly and accessible. Massachusetts has about 200 public
stations. Rhode Island has until the end of August, when federal stimulus money
disappears, to install 50 new charging stations.
Municipalities have been
reluctant to host the stations due to worries of giving away electricity and
from having to cut through a bunch of local red tape. With the exception of
Kohl's, most retailers haven't embraced charging stations either. Kohl’s,
however, has learned that charging stations keep customers shopping longer.
"It's a huge
marketing opportunity," said Al Dahlberg, head of Project Get Ready Rhode
Island and a planner and advocate for charging stations.
National Grid is
partnering with Rhode Island and Massachusetts to run charging stations. The
utility is also ramping up residential charging infrastructure. “The interest
level is absolutely building,” said John Gilbrook, project manager for National
Grid. “(We are) on the precipice of a major shift in transportation.”
New charging stations
are easier to use, and national standards are being developed for members of
charging networks. Universities allow students to pay for charges with school
IDs. Public garages are including charging costs on parking passes.
Green benefits
The environmental
benefits of driving EVs instead of gas-powered vehicles haven't resonated with
consumers, according to Abigail Anthony of Environment New England. A Nissan
Leaf releases 60 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than a traditional
economy car, she said, because electricity from the power grid is cleaner than
gasoline, it’s easier to control emissions from a single power plant than from
thousands of cars and electricity from the grid also contains a mix of
renewable-energy sources.
Don Wineberg said he
hopes to install solar at his home in Jamestown to charge his Tesla Model S.
“The number one reason that people buy (EVs) is for the environmental
concern," he said. "That was true for me."
Wars fought over oil,
global warming and sea-level rise prompted Wineberg to embrace domestically
produced electricity to fuel his vehicle, which gets 210 miles to a charge. “I
wanted to get off of that (oil) addiction,” he said.
Chevy Volt salesman
Paul Dragich of Masse Chevrolet in East Providence said most EV buyers want to
own the car of the future. “Everyone just wants to be part of the cutting-edge
technology," he said.
The cost, however, is
still too steep for many consumers. Anthony said other incentives could help,
such as access to preferred driving lanes, state tax credits and discounted
registration fees.
Top models
Some 41,000 EVs were
sold in the United States in first half of this year. But EVs are still a small
segment of the market. The Nissan Leaf has seen the biggest sales increase.
Others are lowering prices and leasing costs.
A $7,500 federal tax
credit is still available for EV purchases.
The top plug-in models
are the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, Smart ForTwo, Ford Fusion
Energi, Ford C-Max Energi, Ford Focus Electric, Toyota Prius Plug-In, Honda Fit
EV, Toyota Rav4 EV. Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Honda Accord Plug-In. Coming soon are
the Chevy Spark EV and the Fiat 500e.