Electric cars will overtake hybrid in 2020, forecast shows
Posted: 17 Aug 2010, 07:31
Energy Saving Trust - 17/08/10
Electric cars will not overtake hybrid technology until 2020, a new report has predicted.
GlassGuide.co.uk's Alternative Powertrain Vehicles in Europe report forecasts that by the end of the decade, the two systems will represent 21 per cent of the total UK vehicle market share.
This will represent the same level in France and Italy, although the UK will remain behind Germany, which is predicted to have a 26 per cent market share of all new car sales.
Individually, 274,000 units of electric vehicles will be sold, while 235,000 hybrid units will be bought, the report found.
Andy Carroll, managing director at Glass's, commented: "One of the central issues for the vehicle manufacturers is encouraging consumer adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles, including plug-in hybrids."
The report indicates to a positive uptake of cleaner cars in the UK's future transport technology.
However, to drive increased adoption of alternative fuels and low carbon technologies, the report suggests that vehicle manufacturers will be forced to develop strategies to remove some of the risk of residual value of the cost of batteries from the consumer.
Original Article