As 2010 comes to a close, it's a good time to step back and take get a little reality check. Ever since we learned in 2007 that the Chevrolet Volt would arrive at the end of 2010 – and, let's also give General Motors props for hitting that target – a lot of people thought that this year, the one just ending, would be forever known as the Year of the Electric CarTM
So, was it? Maybe not. After all, of the ten green vehicles we were excited to see in 2010, only two (!) made it to the U.S. market, the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt, with partial credit given to the Mitsubishi i and the plug-in Toyota Prius, which were never promised for us. Looking over the list and thinking of the disappointing delays from Fisker, Coda and more, maybe 2010 wasn't the plug-in year we thought it was. After all, building a car is harder than a lot of startups tend to think, sadly. And investment money isn't exactly free-flowing at the moment, so it's unsurprising that so many of the cars on our list from a year ago are late. 2011 should see at least a few of those surface – we hope.
With the impending release of Revenge of the Electric Car and real widespread electric car availability coming in 2011, we want to ask if the real Year of the Electric CarTM is yet to come. What's your take? Were the developments of 2011 big enough to declare it the Year of the Electric CarTM, or are you more excited about what's coming around the bend?
So, was it? Maybe not. After all, of the ten green vehicles we were excited to see in 2010, only two (!) made it to the U.S. market, the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt, with partial credit given to the Mitsubishi i and the plug-in Toyota Prius, which were never promised for us. Looking over the list and thinking of the disappointing delays from Fisker, Coda and more, maybe 2010 wasn't the plug-in year we thought it was. After all, building a car is harder than a lot of startups tend to think, sadly. And investment money isn't exactly free-flowing at the moment, so it's unsurprising that so many of the cars on our list from a year ago are late. 2011 should see at least a few of those surface – we hope.
With the impending release of Revenge of the Electric Car and real widespread electric car availability coming in 2011, we want to ask if the real Year of the Electric CarTM is yet to come. What's your take? Were the developments of 2011 big enough to declare it the Year of the Electric CarTM, or are you more excited about what's coming around the bend?
[Image: Cory Schmitz – C.C. License 2.0]
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