The Future of Mobility
Most major automobile manufacturers have announced that they will be offering vehicles powered partially or completely by electric drive systems by 2012. These cars of the future will be powered with electricity from charging sockets (which is why they are called "plug-in vehicles"). The German government has mandated that 1,000,000 electric cars be on the road by 2020. Experts assume that virtually all new cars will be at least partially powered by electricity in 2025, and by 2030 there will be 5-6 million EVs on the road in Germany.
There are two structural factors that encourage the adoption of EVs: oil supplies will not last, and emissions restrictions are on the rise. EVs offer solutions to these challenges, as well as many others.
Lower Energy Costs A car that consumes 8l/100km costs 10-12 Euros for every 100km driven. An EV that runs on pure electricity can cover the same distance for 3 Euros.
Clean mobility Using renewable energy, no dangerous emissions of CO2, NOx, and SOx are produced by the car, and particulate matter comes only from tire wear. Noise is also considerably reduced. To achieve clean mobility from "well to wheel", it is crucial that the electricity powering vehicles is generated from renewable resources to make sure that emissions are not shifted but actually reduced.
Independent mobility Imports from foreign countries can be reduced and cars can be run on energy produced domestically.
The electric grid and renewables By regulating charging processes, EVs can support the expansion of renewable energy sources, solving problems of capacity and supply imbalance.
Both the automobile industry and politicians have acknowledged the potential of electric vehicles and are developing this important future market.
