Studies find drivers are comfortable with electric-vehicle ranges

If you’re an automaker and are worried that drivers may not accept your upcoming electric-vehicle because of vehicles’ limited range or recharging time requirements – fret not. Studies show that drivers who already drive an electric-car are believe that their vehicle has enough range for their daily needs, prefer charging at the convenience of their own home and think the charging time is more than sufficient.

“I would expect the market for electrics does not depend at all on the development of a [charging] network, given the way in which these vehicles are used,” Tom Turrentine, director of the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Center at the University of California, Davis, told MSNBC.com.

Turrentine surveyed 150 individuals currently leasing BMW’s Mini E electric prototype and found that its range of 100 miles per charge was enough to satisfy the driver’s daily habits. He said that the range satisfaction caused drivers less anxiety and meant that they were able to charge conveniently at home.

Another study by market research firm Frost & Sullivan questioned more than 2,000 drivers of all kinds of cars nationwide and found that most feel the recharging time for an electric car’s battery is acceptable.

– By: Kap Shah

Source: MSNBC