Monday 8 August 2011

Market forecasts missing zinc-air arrival

Autoblog.green report that Japanese research firm Fuji Keizai Group forecasts combined sales of plug-in hybrid, electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles will hit 32.1 million units worldwide in 2025. Fuji Kezai says that sales of these electrified vehicles will climb to 5.46 million units in 2015, a six-fold increase compared to the approximately 900,000 electrified vehicles sold worldwide in 2010.
Fuji Keizai breaks down its 32.1 million unit figure like this:
  • Standard hybrid vehicles: 13.86 million
  • Plug-in hybrids: 11.48 million
  • Pure electric vehicles: 5.75 million
  • Fuel cell vehicles: 1 million
Now, we should take this forecast, like all other EV forecasts, with a pinch of salt. The analysts never seem to get it right and I do not believe that hydrogen is going mainstream, not least because according to Craig Shields, Editor of 2GreenEnergy.com writing in TheEnergyCollective.comUS firm Eos Energy Systems has recently announced that it will release its rechargeable zinc-air battery for US$165 per kWh - and may make lithium-ion one of the most short lived of fuel carriers. 

Let's not get too excited yet as there have been many false dawns along the EV highway so far. But definitely one to watch then.