Neighborhood electric vehicles aren’t going to set many hearts aflutter, as they look like glorified golf carts. But they are predicted to make strong gains in the next few years. NEVs, also known as low-speed electric vehicles, are street-legal with a top speed of 25 miles per hour. They are in one of the electric-vehicle categories that came to the fore during the global warming scare of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Originally conceived as a way to fulfill the California Air Resources Board’s zero-emissions requirements right before the turn of the millennium, the vehicles have found a niche with fleets that can use inexpensive vehicles on public roads, and consumers who live in communities that often have designated paths and parking for the vehicles.
According to a new report from Pike Research, the total number of NEVs on the world’s roadways will grow from 479,000 in 2011 to 695,000 by 2017, a 45-percent increase. During that period, the clean-tech market intelligence firm forecasts that annual NEV sales will rise from 37,000 vehicles to nearly 55,000 units, and North America will account for 45 percent of annual sales.
“Neighborhood electric vehicles are proof that EVs will take many forms in different parts of the world,” says senior analyst Dave Hurst. “And while moderate in terms of sales volumes compared to other emerging vehicle markets, the growth rate for NEVs will double that of the total light-duty vehicle market during the same period.”
Hurst adds that NEVs remain competitive and relevant in today’s market by utilizing lead-acid battery technology, allowing them to compete at less than half the cost of light-duty electric vehicles that are regarded as more sophisticated. At $100 to $200 per kilowatt hour, lead-acid batteries are the most inexpensive batteries available. Batteries used in NEVs include flooded, gelled, and absorbed glass mat (AGM) lead-acid batteries, all of which are considerably cheaper than the nickel metal hydride and lithium-ion batteries used in most hybrids and pure electrics.
