Back in 2008 when President Obama took office, the President of the United States had a goal of putting 1 million electric cars on the streets by 2015. The projection was sorely missed and the one-million-electric-car target may not seem feasible even until 2020.
The United States Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said in an interview that purchases of electric cars have fallen below the President Obama's goal. Moniz is still optimistic that the target might be hit in a few years, and by 2020, one million electric cars could be easily achieved. One of the reasons the electric car sales stalled is the continuing drop of fossil fuel prices.
"If we get a little acceleration, obviously we're probably three, four years away, I remain very bullish." Moniz said while attending the Washington Auto Show in the U.S. capital.
President Obama had been pushing electric vehicles ever since he got elected in the office. When he visited a Detroit auto show, he did not discuss electric cars in details but he mentioned "plug-in hybrids and electrics and fuel-efficient cars that can protect our planet, save people money at the pump."
Moniz added that lowering the manufacturing cost and retail prices of battery costs is critical in boosting electric vehicles sales. He also highlighted the administration's goal to make electric vehicles widely available and affordable to own and operate as oil-powered vehicles by 2022. Furthermore, Moniz added that the future for electric cars and vehicles "remains extremely bright".
"Our work refining cars that are efficient, affordable and can plug into the grid will also help propel us to even greater progress on reducing pollution and boosting energy security," Secretary Moniz said.
California is leading the electric car sales with 100,000 electric cars populating the roads. This is a humongous 40% of the total sales of electric vehicles sold in the United States from year 2010 to 2014.
