Nissan and University of Tokyo to Launch Study Group To Promote Electric Cars
15 June 2008
Nikkei. Nissan Motor Co. and the University of Tokyo will launch a study group with participants from different business sectors at the end of this month to consider the best ways to popularize electric cars.
Nissan and the university hope for participation from 50-60 companies and they have sent word out to businesses in a wide range of sectors, from automakers and battery makers to insurers, real estate firms and electric power companies.
The study group will consider such strategies as leasing out the batteries so people can purchase the electric cars for the same price as a regular car. The group will also look for other applications for the batteries as a clean energy source, for example in homes and buildings. Where ideas look promising, participating companies can ink collaborative R&D agreements to work together to develop businesses.
If we assume that an electrified vehicle(without baterries) would cost about the same or even mcuh less than the equivalent ICE vehicle, users could pay up to $60/week to lease the baterry pack with the savings from gas.
Other savings on oil changes, filters, breaks, transmission, etc would make EV purchase very interesting.
Posted by: HarveyD | 15 June 2008 at 11:14 AM
There are only two necessary strategies to have electric cars gain acceptance.
1 ) Make the cars. If they are offered for sale, people will buy them, even at higher initial costs. Soon economies of scale will bring down the costs. An initial joint venture between all interested companies to make parts for the same basic platform would speed development. Later options would diversify from the originating design.
2 ) Make Plugs. Standard Pay-for plugs in all major shopping plazas that are available to recharge all competitive brands of Electric cars are a must. If there is an infrastructure, people will use it. With even a minimal standardized infrastructure to support electric cars, they become viable as a first choice transportation solution.
Posted by: John Taylor | 15 June 2008 at 01:21 PM
Battery leasing is a bizarre concept. If upfront cost is a problem for someone they can simply lease the whole car. What's the point of two separate leases?
Posted by: doggydogworld | 16 June 2008 at 06:01 AM
doggydogworly:
Baterry leasing is just a (limited time) way to reduce the PHEV/BEV capital cost below ICE's equivalent to accellerate transition to electrified vehicles.
Otherwise, @ $40K to $100K for PHEVs and/or BEVs, too many people will find them too expensive and will keep on driving much cheaper gas guzzlers.
Don't forget that the 100 + million gas guzzlers, currently on lease, will be dead cheap (probably a small fraction of their buy back value), when they are returned to the dealers. Three and four year old large VUS already sell for less than 50% of their buy back value. That may be as low as 20% in 2 to 4 years.
Posted by: HarveyD | 16 June 2008 at 10:09 AM
Leasing versus not leasing of batteries this is one of the issues we can safely trust the market to figure out. Most likely both options will be available to some extend as it is already with cars.
Posted by: Henrik | 16 June 2008 at 10:36 AM
@HarveyD
Sounds like you just described a good short term business model. Buy 4 year old gas guzzlers and convert them to PHEVs. Yank the ICE and drop in some other power plant.
My reasoning is that it is better to use the chassis, wheels and body of these vehicles than to just abandon them. And there are some people who have to have the larger vehicles ... like me ... I have 7 kids.
I know I would much rather my wife drive around getting 25mpg rather than the 15mpg she gets right now.
In any event, if someone starts doing that, they will eventually have to transition as the OEMs slow production, but by then maybe the business would have enough experience to survive in the PHEV aftermarket.
Posted by: NCyder | 16 June 2008 at 10:45 AM
I noticed Chevy says they may offer a 20 mile range Volt which they speculate can lower initial costs by nearly half. If they do this as a lease, the upgrade path to higher AEV range is readily open. Battery lease, along with tax credits for PHEVs will help keep 2010 model year EVs within reach of most consumers (ie $20-30k)
Posted by: gr | 16 June 2008 at 11:48 AM
Baterry leasing is just a (limited time) way to reduce the PHEV/BEV capital cost below ICE's equivalent to accellerate transition to electrified vehicles.
Harvey,
Please explain how leasing the car and battery in two separate leases is any cheaper than a single lease for both items?
Posted by: doggydogworld | 16 June 2008 at 02:26 PM
A PHEV-20 Volt that still gets 60mpg would still have a huge market. Where I live I do about 80% of my errands within five miles of my home, all at 40mph or below. A 20-mile range would basically free me from using gas on the weekends. If they can manage that for sub-$25k, they'll have my dollars.
Posted by: Cervus | 16 June 2008 at 05:34 PM