Few Interested in Buying Electric Car
About three-quarters of the people who responded to a survey on electric vehicles said they would not consider buying one, according to officials who unveiled the results Tuesday before a Thousand Oaks Auto Mall display of some of the first models.
“You cannot mandate consumer acceptance. You have to have trouble-free operations and a dependable vehicle,†said Ron Conlin, head of research for J. D. Power and Associates, which conducted the study of 400 “potential buyers†in Southern California.
The company conducts surveys and sells them to auto makers and other industry firms. Copies of the complete electric-car survey are priced at $7,500.
The study found 75% would not consider buying an electric vehicle, 23% would, and the rest were undecided.
David Power III, company chairman, added he would consider it a success if 15% of the market, or roughly 2 million buyers, had EVs in 20 years.
But Bill George, spokesman for Ford, which will deliver its EV Ranger trucks this December, said the batteries do not last long enough to generate mass appeal.
“We still need a breakthrough,†he said, adding that Ford will market its EVs primarily to government fleet organizations, such as the Postal Service and the military.
Survey respondents were asked to rank their priorities in buying a car.
About 83% cited trouble-free maintenance, 77% said they demand quality of workmanship, 74% listed safety in accidents, 68% a low price and 64% availability of parts and service.
EV batteries will power a car 60 to 125 miles. Distances vary depending on road and weather conditions, battery model, and driving style.
It takes two to three hours to recharge a battery, which can be done with a charging unit connected to the electrical wiring in one’s garage, according to Andrea Achille, a marketing specialist for Saturn, which launched its General Motors-made EV1 car Dec. 5.
List prices for EVs are generally $32,000 to $34,000.
