PARIS — It is an obvious fact. Society seeks electro-mobility for the future. But, to ensure customers' adoption, the electric vehicles (EVs) will have to be completely affordable.
"Our automotive industry is at a point of no return. The 20th century held the society around the automotive. In the 21st century, the automotive has to adapt to society. We should never waste a crisis," stated Remi Bastien, head of DREAM (Research Advanced Studies Materials Division) and chairman of 3EA Network (Electricity Electronics and Automation) at Renault (Boulogne-Billancourt, France).
The central theme of this year's International Automotive Electronics Congress (IAEC) in Paris, France, was ready-made. The electric car is in all mouths, and France is not the less active of all countries. It recently announced its plan to invest 1.5 billion euros (2.18 billion dollars) on infrastructure for the two million electric and hybrid cars it wants on its roads by 2020.
The state and major companies will order 100,000 electric vehicles by 2015. In addition, a million battery-charging points will be installed by 2015, 90 percent of them in private homes but also in car parks and at roadside sites, said French Minister of Ecology Jean-Louis Borloo.
Furthermore, European countries such as France, Germany and Portugal have unveiled programs that offer a 5,000 euro bonus to buyers who pick environmentally friendly cars.
In an interview with EETimes, Denis Griot, senior vice president at Freescale Semiconductor and general manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said he has observed a growing inclination towards electrification, and government energy policy and legislation will have a large role to play in the early market development for hybrid vehicles, "which currently cost more for vehicle makers and consumers."
"If we look to the years 2016-2020, a high percentage of vehicles will be electrified at a certain level," he noted. However, "Electrification is facing issues. How to store electricity? Is it affordable? How do we ensure customer adoption? The 5,000 euro state bonus is of help at the beginning. Then, the market will have to balance, and the right price between the ecology and economic ratio will have to be found."
It is possible that customers will want EVs but the cost will be the main obstacle to have this technology in large range.
