Plug-in Hybrid Car Survey Seeks Buyer Input

PRLog (Press Release) – Mar 15, 2008 – http://Plugin.EVWorld.Com has identified some 16-announced plug-in electric vehicle programs currently in development. Large auto manufacturers like General Motors (Volt, Saturn Vue), Ford (Escape) and Toyota (Prius, iQ) are working on vehicles that will have electric-driving ranges from 10-to-40 miles starting as early as the 2009-2010 time frame. But large OEMs aren't the only companies racing to offer vehicles that can be charged from the power grid. Smaller firms with little known names like Miles, Visionary Vehicles, Zap, Tesla and Fisker have also joined the race and may end up beating the big players to the market.

The key advantage of such plug-in electric vehicles is that the first 10-to-60 miles of driving range comes from the electric energy stored in their batteries, which are typically charged from the local grid, but also can be charged from solar panels on the vehicles owner's home. Since most drivers travel less than 30 miles in a day, a plug-in vehicle would nearly eliminate the need to buy gasoline most days of the week. A recent Morgan Stanley report indicated that such vehicles will be "2.75x cheaper to operate than a conventional mid size car and 1.5x cheaper than a conventional hybrid."

In an effort to identify plug-in car buyer preferences, EV World -- a leading Internet portal to developments in electric-drive technology -- has established an online buyer survey to not only gauge public interest in the various vehicle options, but to also identify buyer expectations and concerns. The survey asks participants to select the vehicles that most interest them. Optional questions seek feedback on the three types of plug-in technology: battery electric, range-extended electric and plug-in hybrid. Separate sidebars define the differences between the three, as well as explain the advantages and disadvantages of aftermarket conversions. All three types of plug-in technologies offer the potential for Vehicle-to-Grid charging that could, potentially, turn an automobile into an income asset, instead of a liability.

The http://Plugin.EVWorld.Com survey takes about a minute to complete and participants will be notified of the results, which will be used to assist manufacturers in their development and deployment efforts. Participants are rewarded with a free, fun 3D jigsaw puzzle they can download after completing the survey, a $10 value.

The survey can be found at: http://plugin.evworld.com.