The essential guide looks at the electric vehicle landscape; electric vehicle demand; electric vehicle charging points/drop-in centres and electric/hybrid vehicles – “dirty little secrets”. It also covers the electric vehicle future.

Roddy Graham, commercial director at Leasedrive, said: ‘While it might appear that the future for the electric or hybrid vehicle is rosy this is far from the case. Many question marks remain on the long-term viability of electric vehicles fuelled by the lack of a nationwide recharging infrastructure, debate over the sale or lease of battery packs and a small matter of electric cars’ dirty little secrets!

‘Hopefully, most of these uncertainties will be resolved so that, in the medium-term, the fleet mix will reflect a combination of the internal combustion engine, hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in that order. In the long-term, the mix will become even more varied, with the addition of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and perhaps new technology yet to be revealed.

‘The future success of electric vehicles will depend largely on the establishment of a proper re-charging network infrastructure, more acceptable ranges between battery recharges and lower lithium-ion battery costs. How much in-road electric vehicles will make into a market dominated by the internal combustion engine will also depend on how prices converge with the latter, post initial subsidies, and escalating oil prices.’

Free copies of the “Essential Guide to Electric Vehicles – Future Imperfect” are available to download at: http://www.leasedrivevelo.com/guide-electricvehicles