Electric cars: how has drivers' interest been growing?

Electric cars

are not something new, as they have been on our roads for quite a few years now. You can always take a look at the five modern electric cars that have made history and recall some memorable models.

2010 was one of the most critical years, as they began to change drivers’ opinions, though very slowly. Ten years ago, these vehicles were practically experiments, since they offered very little range and somewhat complex design lines.

One of those first affordable electric cars was the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, which arrived in 2009, but things began to change with the arrival of the Nissan Leaf in 2011, which had a range of 117 kilometres, 110 CV and 280 Nm of maximum torque. Some sources claim that the electric Nissan “made switching to an electric car less difficult.”

It wasn’t until the arrival of the Tesla Model S that drivers started to take an interest in electric cars. This model has convincingly shown that electric cars can be elegant, powerful and practical. On top of this come good performance and a great range that reached 426 kilometres, four times that of the Mitsubishi.

Is Tesla the cause of the electric car boom?

We are clear that Elon Musk’s company did not invent the electric car, but it is worth highlighting that it has shown that electric cars are not rare and consumers have started to want them. This has translated into a change in the automotive sector, and now most manufacturers are betting on this type of vehicle.

Of course, Tesla does not bear all the responsibility, since manufacturers such as BMW had already been working on their electrified models for some time. Over the years, we are seeing that electric cars are becoming more common and drivers are beginning to make the leap. This is also due to the CO2 emission restrictions that will have to be met at 100% in 2021.

BMW currently has 12 models in its catalogue, and it is expected that by 2021 a quarter of its sales will be electrified cars. The same goes for Porsche, which is also including plug-in hybrid vehicles in its range. Based on this, some say that in the future there will be more plug-in hybrids.

Furthermore, the future of electric vehicles also looks bright, as there are many models still in the pipeline, although it is not clear whether there will be enough demand for the next wave of electric vehicles. It is also worth mentioning that consumer acceptance will likely increase as electric vehicles become more common and the charging infrastructure grows to accommodate them.

It is also very important to note that prices need to come down to make them more affordable for drivers, but battery capacities and charging technologies need to improve significantly for drivers to take the initiative to buy a fully electric car.