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In one of speech, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui recently said, “Honda is currently developing a battery-powered electric motorcycle which emits no CO2 during operation, because the characteristics of a battery can be better utilized in the area of motorcycles, which are often used for short distance travel. Honda is aiming to introduce this electric motorcycle to the market about two years from now.”
The number of electric vehicles for sale has increased markedly over the last 10 years as finally the revolution begins to gather pace. This is a revolution which has been promised for many years although political interference in the past has not assisted with the speed at which electric cars are now being launched onto the market.
Popular electric cars for sale
There are a number of prominent names in the electric car market which include the Tesla roadster, Mitsubishi MiEV, Nissan 2010 Leaf, Citroen C-Zero, REVA NXR to name but a few. While it would be wrong to suggest that the second hand market in electric vehicles is anywhere near the liquidity seen in the traditional car market, there has been significant growth over the last couple of years.
Second hand electric car market
There is some dispute as to how long an electric vehicle will hold its value with initial suggestions showing it is likely to perform better in the short term compared to traditional cars but could lose up to 90% of its value after five years. The problem at the moment is the fact that the most expensive element of an electric vehicle is the battery power required.
There have been enormous strides in the technology associated with battery power, with lithium ion batteries now the leader in the sector, but there is still much work to be done. We have already seen a vast improvement in onboard recharging systems and there are now more recharging stations available than ever before, although there is still room for improvement in this area.
Tax incentives
A number of governments around the world have introduced tax incentives in relation to electric powered cars for sale which obviously helps to offset any potential long-term reduction in their value. It seems highly likely that these government schemes, targeted at both car manufacturers and electric car owners, will continue for some time to come as a means of pushing more and more consumers in the direction of more environmentally friendly transport alternatives.
The image of electric cars
In the early days of the electric powered car there was a certain stigma attached, in the eyes of the public, and many people have until today effectively discounted a potential purchase of an electric vehicle. However, advances in technology have taken the electric car market to a very different level and when you also consider the volatile oil price and ever-increasing cost of fuel it is no surprise that more electric cars are being sold today than ever before.
Slowly but surely this stigma is lifting and people who would not have considered an electric car only 12 months ago may now be more open to the idea.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the sale of electric vehicles, from SUVs to the more traditional small cars, will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. As technological advances bring down the cost of both components and the vehicles as a whole, this will open up new markets and new opportunities for the future. While there may have been a number of false starts with regards to the electric car market there is no doubt that this particular niche market is certainly moving forward and will soon hit the mass market and wave goodbye to the niche tag.
A number of factors are now coming together to assist the electric powered car market and car manufacturers are determined to make the most of this.
Toyota isn't the only Japanese automaker to amaze us with some funky forms of personal transportation. Honda unwrapped its U3-X transporter prior to the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, which can best be described as a motorized unicycle.
A key component to the U3-X is Honda's Omni Traction (HOT) drive technology. The large wheel you see at the bottom of the cycle is actually made of multiple wheels of varying diameter. The larger wheels allow the U3-X to move fore and aft. Simultaneously rotating the smaller wheels allows the U3-X to steer. Like a Segway, the unicycle is self-balancing; Honda engineers developed the system based upon technologies developed for the company's ASIMO robot program.
Although the U3-X seems to be meant for indoor use only, it weighs only 20 pounds and folds into a portable shape for transit. Power comes from a lithium-ion battery pack which, when fully charged, offers approximately an hour's worth of use.
We're not exactly sure whom Honda is targeting with this contraption (the company says it's "pursuing the concept of harmony with people"), but it will showcase the U3-X at the 2009 Tokyo motor show.
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