Research and Markets: Electric Car Markets in Europe: Analysis and Strategic Review of 10 Countries

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/497a8f/electric_car_marke) has announced the addition of the "Electric Car Markets in Europe: Analysis and Strategic Review of 10 Countries" report to their offering.

“Electric Car Markets in Europe: Analysis and Strategic Review of 10 Countries”

Electric Car Markets in Europe: Analysis and Strategic Review of 10 Countries

This unique and powerful 185 page report provides information, projections, insight and strategic thinking on the development of the electric car market in Europe, together with the battery and infrastructure developments essential to its growth.

The report:

Outlines relevant technologies involved
Describes EU legislation and strategies
Provides a strategic market overview of Europe, including ICG market forecasts to 2020 and national comparative analyses

In each country:

Provides and comments on ICG market forecasts to 2020
Outlines government programs
Describes market activities by company participants including
- Cars
- Batteries
- Infrastructure
- Power
Identifies market opportunities
Profiles over 90 relevant companies and organizations

The countries reviewed represent almost 90% of the European market, and include Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and UK.

Electric cars have been around since 1832, when Robert Anderson of Scotland invented the first electric-driven horseless carriage. However, Henry Ford guaranteed their rapid decline in popularity when his efficient manufacturing processes and use of the internal combustion engine created a mass market for cars at relatively low prices. Two issues have now changed the game. The health hazards of limitless CO2 emissions, to ourselves and our planet, have been acknowledged and the high price of oil seems likely to continue its rise as cheaply accessible reserves decline. This means that the days of the internal combustion engine for transport purposes may be limited.

Judgments about the growth and shape of the mass consumer market for electric vehicles are of necessity made against a background of vehicles that are effectively prototypes and not yet in full production, or are produced in relatively low quantities as specialized or niche market vehicles. The improvement of battery technology to the point that it truly offers a long-distance alternative comparable to a traditional internal combustion engine is also subject to debate.

This helps to explain the widely differing views on how quickly the consumer market can be expected to re-adopt this technology, and it is worth noting that there are competing transportation models and technologies for greening the atmosphere including the use of bio-fuels, hydrogen fuel cells, hybrids and rapidly improving internal combustion engines with much reduced carbon emissions. There is also an argument that suggests that there is little gain in using zero emission electric cars if the power generated for their use comes from fossil fuels rather than renewable sources. Thus the rapid deployment of renewable energy goes hand-in-hand with the development of this market.

The costs associated with the adoption of electric cars include a high initial price that takes account both of the early stage of this market with its battery requirements and a low running cost. While levels of car pricing will decrease as technology developments take place and production volumes rise, it seems likely that, in time, methods will be found to ensure that taxation levied on current fuels will be transferred to usage of green power.

This market is dynamic and while Europe is presently lagging behind other parts of the world in these developments there is no doubt that the continent has the will, the motivation and the technological capability to retain its position as a major competitive power.

This Report addresses the European market for plug-in electric cars, both battery and plug-in hybrid (serial configuration). Market forecasts include both types of vehicle, as these feature similar infrastructure requirements and are generally subject to the same adoption incentives in most European countries. In addition, our assumption is that vehicles will be able to operate under freeway conditions for performance and crash safety.

Key forecasting assumptions made within this Report include:

Unit sales: based on a sales switch to electric cars as a proportion of all cars
Sales growth: based on industry information on vehicle launches, EV production capacities, and supra-national and national activity relating to EVs
Pricing: based on industry information on launch and current pricing of EVs, and averaged base data on national levels of car pricing (taken over a range of models)

Information gathered in the course of our research for this Report came from multiple sources including:

European Commission and national governments
Supra-national and national automotive trade associations and other trade bodies
Car and automotive component manufacturers, dealers and designers
Infrastructure developers and power industry sources
Trade, specialist and general e-publications
Confidential sources within the industry

91 Companies Mentioned in this Report, Some Include: