Actual EV Market Starts to Move

Following Mitsubishi and SUBARU, NISSAN launched the electric vehicle LEAF into the EV (electric vehicle) market on December 20, 2010.　
TOYOTA and Honda will start the sales of EVs in Spring next year.
The actual EV market started to move forward in Japan.

200 km is the running distance of LEAF on a single charge.
And the plug-in charging mode is used for charging the LEAF’s battery.
200 km, this amazed me.
Those specs are enough to satisfy the short-distance transportation requirements.

We have already the technologies on the motor itself and its control, which have sufficiently matured, although its applications, with some exceptions, do not concern the vehicle. I have thought that the decisive problem to be solved is only how to enhance the battery performances.
And, I had guessed that at least a few years were needed until the battery performances reach practical levels.

NEC (partner of NISSAN in the battery field) has a schedule to double the performances of the battery and to half the price of the battery within around two years (says NEC).
My real feeling is that the battery development progresses at higher speed than as expected.
My guess is that the problem left to us is to deploy the charging infrastructure as fast as possible.

EVs are now and will be increasing more than expected.
And the battery manufacturers can't keep up with the demand.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and to see you again next year.

[Copyright by FuelCell japan: http://www.fcpat-japan.com/]
Written based mainly on:
1) “Electric Vehicles Business Starts” by Yomiuri Shimbun
2) “LEAF, it is a challenge to our dream. We are confident of success in achieving the dream.” Interview with Carlos Ghosn, the president of Nissan, by Isshiki, chief editor, Asahi Shimbun