eGallon prices driving EV interest

July 25, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Electric vehicle (EV) sales doubled in the first 6 months of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). DOE's most recent pricing data -- eGallon, a quick and simple way for consumers to compare the costs of fueling electric vehicles vs. driving on gasoline -- shows that prices rose slightly to $1.18 from $1.14 in the latest monthly numbers, but remain far below the $3.49 cost of a gallon of gasoline.

Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicle Sales: December 2010 - June 2013. Credit: DOE

The data also shows that plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales tripled from about 17,000 in 2011 to about 52,000 in 2012. During the first six months of 2013, U.S. consumers purchased more than 40,000 PEVs, more than twice as many as the same period in 2012. The latest numbers show how the early years of the PEV market have seen much faster growth than the early years of the hybrid vehicle market. Thirty months after the first hybrid was introduced, monthly sales figures were under 3,000.

"More and more Americans are taking advantage of the low and stable price of electricity as a transportation fuel, and that's very good news for our economy as well as the environment," said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz in a statement. "As the market continues to grow, electric vehicles will play a key role in our effort to reduce air pollution and slow the effects of climate change."

DOE launched eGallon last month to allow consumers to compare the cost of fueling with electricity vs. gasoline. eGallon prices are available for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

For more:
- see this infographic

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/egallon-prices-driving-ev-interest/2013-07-25