According to new research from Pike Research, 2011 will serve as an important test of commercial viability for the new electric vehicles.

Electric vehicle (EV) market introductions will get into high gear in 2011, accompanied by the widespread arrival of charging station networks. During the course of this momentous year for the automotive industry, many consumers will form their early impressions of the EV driving experience.

“The automotive industry is bedeviled by fundamental questions of how consumers will accept and use electric vehicles,” says senior analyst John Gartner. “There is still a great deal of uncertainty about the issues of price sensitivity, range anxiety and the importance of charging station networks, the length of time required to charge EVs, and other important matters. These questions can only be answered through real-world experience that is gained from commercial launches. 2011 is the year in which many of these answers will come into greater focus,” Gartner adds.

A few of Pike Research’s industry predictions include the following:
• “Range anxiety” will prove to be more fiction than fact.
• Automakers will get pushback from EV owners regarding the length of time it takes to fully charge a vehicle.
• Many EV charging stations will spend the majority of their time idle.
• The landscape for charging equipment will undergo a seismic shift as the category swiftly moves toward becoming a commodity market.
• The majority of people who drive a plug-in vehicle won’t own it.
• Fuel cell vehicles will be sold to fleets and consumers in small but growing numbers.