Skip to main content

Full electric vehicle shipments to exceed 2 million by 2020

According to ABI Research, the number of full electric vehicles (EV) shipping yearly will increase from 150,000 in 2013 to 2.36 million in 2020, representing a CAGR of 48 per cent. Asia-Pacific will exhibit the strongest growth, driven by mounting pollution issues in its many megacities; however, true mass-market uptake will only start happening in the next decade.
October 11, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
According to 5725 ABI Research, the number of full electric vehicles (EV) shipping yearly will increase from 150,000 in 2013 to 2.36 million in 2020, representing a CAGR of 48 per cent. Asia-Pacific will exhibit the strongest growth, driven by mounting pollution issues in its many megacities; however, true mass-market uptake will only start happening in the next decade.

"Overall, EV sales have been disappointing so far due to a lack of choice and perceived personal benefits, high purchase prices, and most importantly, consumer anxiety about range, maximum speed, recharging times, and the lack of public charging infrastructure. However, with many car OEMs recently dropping prices and offering more choice and improved performance, full electric vehicles are on the verge of leaving their eco niche of environmentally aware and socially responsible buyers, illustrated by car OEMs such as 1731 BMW, 2069 Daimler, and 994 Volkswagen investing heavily in electrification. Importantly, a range of emerging automotive technologies such as carbon-fibre materials, wireless in-car networking technologies, active safety including pedestrian detection and autonomous driving, connectivity, car sharing, and smart grid demand response features will support the electric automotive revolution as all new paradigms are mutually reinforcing each other," comments VP and practice director, Dominique Bonte.

However, the role of governments in supporting the case of EVs through tax rebates and subsidies, stimulating the roll out of public charging infrastructure, exempting EVs from toll in congestion zones, allowing EVs on High Occupancy lanes, providing free parking, and mandating very aggressive emission standards will remain critical during the remainder of this decade.

Ultimately the connected, autonomous EV will form an intrinsic part of the IoT (internet of things), with vehicles relying on and contributing to the emergence of intelligent road infrastructure including wireless charging, smart grids, digital homes and remote healthcare while realising the promise of safe, convenient, efficient, affordable and sustainable transportation.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Rating agency Standard and Poor Tolling sees a bright future for tolling
    September 6, 2017
    Few disruptions appear on the horizon for global toll road operators, with the US poised to become a better bet for major investment, according to ratings agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P’s) Global Ratings’ 2017 report, which rates toll road operators according to their ability to raise capital. The outlook is generally stable for business conditions and credit quality for toll roads worldwide. One positive exception is the US where the overall outlook is ‘positive’ as S&P expects traffic growth to increase
  • What happens to an electric car in a frontal crash?
    January 26, 2012
    At the Detroit Auto Show 2011, Volvo Cars is spotlighting the important issue of electric car safety in an unusual, but distinctive way. On the company's stand there is a Volvo C30 Electric that has undergone a frontal collision test at 40 mph (64 km/h).
  • ASECAP examines tolling’s trials, tribulations and triumphs
    September 4, 2018
    If you want to get up to speed on the main issues facing the transport sector and tolling companies, ASECAP Study Days event in Ljubljana was a good place to start. Colin Sowman reports (Photographs: Louis David). Increasing populations, ever-higher technical and safety requirements, and electric and hybrid vehicles will provide both challenges and opportunities for tolling companies. The annual Study Days event organised by ASECAP (the European association for tolling companies) examined all of these aspec
  • EVs to make up 2.4 percent of global light-duty vehicle sales by 2023
    October 24, 2014
    A new report from Navigant Research, ‘Electric Vehicle Market Forecasts,’ provides a comprehensive overview of the overall light duty vehicle (LDV) market, including global forecasts for annual LDV sales and vehicles in use through 2023. The rapidly changing market for electric vehicles (EVs), which includes hybrids (HEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs), is a small but growing part of the global automotive industry. Keen to see increasing penetrations of EVs due to the e