Although there is a growing line of hybrid and electric vehicles being offered to the American consumers, the future of the electric market remains somewhat hazy. Even with the damage to the Earth’s natural resources continuing and a market value forecast of $568.2 billion by 2026, the American market has been slow on its uptake of support. With the proposed EV and zero-emissions vehicles legislation making airwaves, more attention is being focused on promoting clean vehicles and clean auto manufacturing. With that in mind, we take a look at some of the upcoming developments in the world of auto manufacturing, from more eco-friendly batteries to more affordable versions being offered to consumers.
SUVs Go Electric And Tackle CO2 Emissions
Traditionally SUVs were favored due to their driving dynamics, reliability and off-road abilities. In fact, the improved reliability and vehicle handling are often cited as selling points in crossover releases from Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. However, with increasing criticisms towards SUV CO2 emissions, manufacturers have been seeking ways to make sustainability the center of its vehicle lines and manufacturing process.
They are now amping up their efforts to tackle the issue, as being witnessed in the recent releases hitting the market. Models like Volvo’s XC40 crossover is now fully electric and supports the company’s goal of having plugins account for 20 percent of car sales by 2020. A recently published report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) showed a welcome response by consumers to these changes. Global sales of cars with internal combustion engines declined by 2 percent in 2018. On the other end, carmakers plan to introduce more than 350 electric models by 2025. In the long term, the shift to all-electric cars is seen as a key part of the carbon dioxide emissions puzzle, and carmakers are taking note.
New Research Reveals The Pathway To Reduced Battery Charging Times
Another one of the criticisms of electric vehicles? The charging time and concerns over access to charging ports while on the road. The charging time for electric vehicles is the most commonly cited reason behind 98 percent of consumers choosing hydrogen-run cars over electric vehicles when looking to slash emissions. However, researchers at Penn State may have unlocked a way to overcome this obstacle- and boost the future of electric vehicles in the country. Published in the October issue of Joule, the research outlines the results of a new method where lithium-ion batteries can be heated up to 140 degrees for 10 minutes and then rapidly cooled, avoiding heat degradation. This means that car battery charging times are cut to 10 minutes. However, recent reports indicate that this is not the end of the road. Instead, researchers are hoping to hit the 5-minute charging mark, pretty soon in the future.
Volvo And Geely Take On A Hybrid Engine Merger
With the rapid expansion of the electric market, the growth of combustion engines such as those by Volvo has slowed. As a result, the company announced its partnership with Geely which provides its engineers with the resources and expertise to focus on the creation of innovative combustion and hybrid engines.
As of lately, Volvo has amped up its efforts to promote sustainability in its manufacturing and products and this latest venture is the perfect stepping stone that allows Volvo to achieve its goal of an all-electric model sales to hit at least 50 percent by 2025.
With so many manufacturing giants and investors getting into the electric and hybrid vehicle market, it is safe to say the market is heating up. Consumers can get ready to see an explosion of clean powered vehicles in the near future as we tackle sustainability.
