Fully Operational Showroom: Sweet Briar Industrial estate, Norwich, NR3 2BS
Find Us!
Technological advances keep on improving energy efficiency in engines. Two centuries ago, the best we could do was burn coal to produce steam to power our engines, wasting a huge amount of energy as heat along the way. Internal combustions engines were an improvement, but they still had a tendency to overheat and produce great clouds of dirty emissions. The dream for some time has been to produce a car that runs on electricity and can perform as well as or better than her fossil-fueled cousins. The limiting factor for electric cars has been the lack of cheap and efficient batteries, but it looks like technology is catching up with the dreamers and the future of the car might be electric.
The Price of Lithium-Ion Batteries
Current statistics show that just 1% of new cars sold are electric cars. Consumers’ concerns about battery life are perhaps overplayed; the biggest deterrent seems to be the price. Electric cars are still more expensive than conventional petrol or diesel powered cars. However, if the price of lithium-ion batteries continues to drop as expected, then the overall cost of an electric car (including the purchase price and cost of fuel during ownership) is projected to fall below that of a conventional car by 2022.
The S-Shaped Curve
When it comes to sales, premium items usually follow an S-shaped curve. A few trendsetting early adopters will buy the item making it seem desirable. A drop in price and increasing consumer familiarity with the product leads to a steady rise in sales that platforms out at a new, much higher normal price as the product becomes integrated into everybody’s lives. This was the pattern followed by motor cars in the 1920s, refrigerators in the 1950s and microwaves in the 1980s. The electric car looks set to be following the same pattern over the next decade.
Emissions Targets
If electric cars could account for even 50% of sales (and provided the electricity was being produced from renewable sources such as wind, solar and tidal energy) then there would be a significant reduction in the amount of emissions being produced. Reducing emissions is essential if our planet is to have a future for our grandchildren to enjoy – although you might need some help persuading the Top Gear team to believe that!
The near future looks electric; the distant future looks robotic. Both of these futures call for an automated garage door. Be part of the automation revolution and call us now on 01603 787069.
