Ford Survey Finds 90% Of Electric Car Owners Plan To Stick With Electric Drive

[kristopher]

Ford Survey Finds 90% Of Electric Car Owners Plan To Stick With Electric Drive
August 13th, 2015 by Steve Hanley

A new survey of plug-in hybrid and electric car drivers by Ford Motor Company finds that 90% of the 10,000 people surveyed like driving a plug in hybrid or electric car and have no plans to go back to driving a gasoline-powered car in the future.

Most of those who participated in the survey said that driving an electric car was just a nicer experience that driving a gasoline vehicle. Some of the reasons why this is so include that electric cars are quieter than their gasoline cousins. That seems to lead people to believe they have a smoother, more comfortable ride. Many respondents also singled out environment benefits as a primary motivator for their decision to drive an electric car.

Stephanie Janczak, Ford’s manager of electric vehicle infrastructure and technology, said in a recent interview with CleanTechnica that most all-electric drivers say they would stay with that type of car in the future while plug-in hybrid owners were more inclined to consider switching to an all-electric vehicle for their next vehicle. The driving experience and an appreciation of clean technology were cited by many as the main reasons for staying electric, she said.

The survey also found a strong correlation between electric car ownership and renewable energy use. Ford says 83% of drivers surveyed either would consider installing solar panels at their homes or already have them. Using a home solar array to charge an electric car helps further reduce its carbon footprint, by limiting reliance on non-renewable grid sources used to power it. The state of California was one of the first to identify a clear relationship between electric-car ownership and home-solar use in a 2012 survey of electric car drivers that found 39% had solar power

Smartphone apps can also be an important part of electric-car ownership...

http://gas2.org/2015/08/13/ford-survey-finds-90-electric-car-owners-satisfied/

[Indydem]

1. Of course they are.

Everything about an electric car is better than a gasoline car except:

1. The upfront price tag

2. The down the road price tag when the $10k battery has to be replaced.

Except for those two things.

[VMA131Marine]

2. If those two things were accurate ...

you'd have a point!

[Indydem]

5. Which one of those points are untrue?

What is the premium for an electric car?

What does it cost to have a lithium battery replaced in an electric car when it has reached it's end of life?

[OKIsItJustMe]

9. This study is a year old

http://www.epri.com/abstracts/Pages/ProductAbstract.aspx?productId=000000003002004054

[font face=Serif][font size=5]Total Cost of Ownership for Current Plug-in Electric Vehicles: Update to Model 2013 and 2014 Model Year Vehicles[/font]


Product ID: 3002004054
Date Published: 20-May-2014
Pages: 36
Sector Name: Power Delivery & Utilization
Document Type: Technical Results

[font size=3]Abstract

As of April 2014, there are over 200,000 Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) on the roads in the United States. From 2011 to the present, sales growth has been steady and strong—approximately double historical hybrid sales during the same period. This sales performance is attributable to increasing consumer acceptance, recent decreases in price, and the introduction of very competitive leasing deals on vehicles. In June 2013, EPRI released the public report, Total Cost of Ownership for Current Plug-in Electric Vehicles (3002001728) to address whether or not PEVs are cost competitive over a 150,000-mile lifetime in comparison to closely matched Generic Conventional and Generic Hybrid vehicles. The 2013 report analyzed the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF. Since then, both companies have announced significant price reductions on these vehicles—including a price drop of $5,000 on the Volt. This Technical Update incorporates the new prices and provides TCO and payback-period analyses of two additional vehicles: the Toyota Prius Plug-in and the Ford C-Max Energi. The methods used in this study are generally the same as those used in the 2013 report. For the Prius Plug-in and the C-Max Energi, this update also compares these PEVS to their non–plug-in hybrid counterparts. The TCO pricing analyses for all vehicles includes the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), purchase price (including incentives, sales tax, and delivery charges), fuel economies, electric driving range, and powertrain description. This study reaffirms the findings of the 2013 report that the Volt and LEAF are cost-competitive for many customers relative to similar conventional and hybrid vehicles. The cost reductions for the Volt have reinforced this positive conclusion. The Plug-in Prius and C-Max Energi also have a lower TCO than generic conventional and hybrid vehicles. At present, the LEAF is more expensive than its own non–plug-in hybrid counterpart, but the 2014 Prius Plug-in has a significantly lower TCO than the non–plug-in Prius. Payback periods for all four analyzed PEVs are rapid (less than five years) relative to Generic Hybrid vehicles, but they are more variable relative to Generic Conventional vehicles.

…[/font][/font]

Over time, the economics are good, and there are (typically) environmental benefits, however, consider the energy efficient light bulb. They have always been a long-term economic winner, and certainly better from an ecological standpoint, but, until relatively recently, a CFL had a much higher upfront cost than an incandescent, and that stood in people’s way.

[kristopher]

3. Would you like to discuss your observations?

We could start with two questions:
How does the price of fuel factor into your personal buying decisions?
Does the EPA mileage rating have an influence on your buying decisions? If so, how?

[Indydem]

4. Ok

1. If I had a boatload of money, the price of fuel wouldn't matter, but I'd still buy an electric car - a Tesla S for the record. Why? Because the acceleration is better, there are no oil changes to worry about, and I hate having to stop and fill up gasoline - its an annoyance.

2. In "I have a ton of money" land, no - the EPA rating doesn't matter. In the real world, where I don't have a ton of money, and have to make do with what I have, yes, the EPA rating matters - but not enough to make me want to spend an extra $10k for a car because it's electric. I can buy a lot of extra gasoline and oil changes for $10k.

[kristopher]

6. Can you clarify the $10K figure?

You've used it in two different ways. Does the Tesla cost that much more than a comparable car? And what's the basis of the other assertion? Do you know the actual lifespan of the batteries and do you make a similar allowance for engines, transmissions, brakes, exhausts systems in gasoline/diesel vehicles?

The money issue is, or should be to me, total cost of ownership. Do you trade frequently or do you hang onto your vehicle until the wheels fall off like I do?

[VMA131Marine]

7. Not a good place to start

Most people don't select a car based on economics alone. If they did, everyone would be driving econoboxes, or at the least, they would always buy the cheapest version of a particular model. I drive a hybrid and when it comes time to replace it I'll probably get a plug-in or full electric and the cost difference between it and a 'regular' car won't be much of a factor. I will make sure to get any tax credits that are available, which are substantial if you get a car with a big enough drive battery.
As for battery replacement cost, Gen 1&2 Prius batteries sell for about $2300 after the refund for the old core. Most of the plug-in vehicles are too new to know what replacement battery costs will be because they are still under warranty. However, what I found about the Volt is that GM will repair the battery rather than replace the whole thing.

[kristopher]

8. You explore the objections your way...

and I'll do it my way.

Win-win.