Electric cars and hybrids haven’t exactly been the technological boon to mankind that we were promised at the outset of the 21st century. They’re expensive, not nearly as efficient as we were led to believe, and saddled with a number of technological problems that auto manufacturers are having a hard time overcoming, not least of which is a ridiculously short battery life. So, is the age of the electric car dead? Maybe not necessarily.
Like many technologies that are designed and implemented with reducing costs in mind, it is ultimately not individual consumers that make the most significant impact, but corporations who implement new technologies in a push to save on operating expenses. Electric cars are no different. While it may be some time before diesel semi trucks are replaced with electric powered tractors, some companies are taking steps to reduce their fossil fuel usage, and by extension, their operating costs, by incorporating electric vehicles into their fleets. Leading the charge is our own United States Air Force, which is in the process of retrofitting Los Angeles Air Force Base with electric vehicles in a project slated to be complete in 2012. For the naysayers who insist that all this retrofit does is transfer energy usage from gas to coal or nuclear, it should be noted that the roofs of the bases’ buildings are being fitted with banks of solar panels designed to feed that vehicle fleet.
Now, one of the biggest delivery companies in the world, FedEx, is working on building their electric fleet. Currently, they have about 43. Underwhelmed? Take GE for example then, who has committed to buying and implementing 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015. Also taking steps to lower costs with electric vehicles? The U.S. Postal service, Coca-Cola, and a host of others.
Where consumer electric vehicles have failed, fleet electric vehicles will be the driving force in the success of electric vehicles. Some of the recent advancements that have come as a result of fleets dabbling in electric vehicles include low rolling resistance tires, extended battery range and even smaller, lighter batteries. Over time, as corporations devise ways to save still more money on transportation costs, these technologies will continue to trickle down to consumer vehicles, eventually driving down the cost of these vehicles when compared with traditional gasoline powered consumer vehicles. If you’re waiting for the perfect time to invest in an electric vehicle, the technology won’t be long in coming, thanks in no small part to fleet electric vehicles.