Signaling that the American marketplace may be at a tipping point, a new survey from Pike Research finds that 48 percent of consumers say they would be “extremely” or “very” interested in purchasing a plug-in hybrid that has a 40-mile range on a single charge.

“Plug-in hybrids match the driving requirements of most consumers we surveyed,” Pike’s managing director Clint Wheelock said in a statement. “Eighty-two percent of respondents drive 40 miles or less per day, with an average daily driving distance of 27 miles.”

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are one of the most highly anticipated new product categories of recent years. They promise dramatically improved fuel economy over standard internal combustion engines, and are expected to drive significant benefits in the form of reduced carbon emissions and lesser dependence on foreign oil.

Other key findings of the Boulder-based Pike Research survey included:

• 85 percent of consumers stated that improved fuel efficiency would be an important factor when choosing their next vehicle.
• 65 percent of survey respondents interested in PHEVs expressed a willingness to pay a premium price, over and above the price of a standard gasoline vehicle, with an average premium of 12 percent.
• Consumers indicated that the availability of workplace, private, and public vehicle charging stations in their local area would be very important.
• 79 percent of consumers would be interested in investing in a fast-charging outlet for their home; however, willingness to pay is out of line with industry expectations.

Pike Research’s report, “Electric Vehicle Consumer Survey,” analyzes results from a web-based survey of 1,041 U.S. consumers. The report includes a detailed analysis of consumer demand and willingness to pay for PHEVs and their associated vehicle charging infrastructure. Segmentation analysis includes an examination of demand within different demographic and behavioral groups. An executive summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

From Green Right Now Reports

Enmeshed in the worst business conditions in decades, America’s auto companies are trying to envision the coming world of transportation. For Ford and Chrsyler, the future is starting to look electric.

Both companies are pushing for federal funds to develop new elctric vehicle programs. Chrysler LLC has submitted a $448-Million plan to the U.S. Department of Energy for the rapid development and manufacturing of electrified vehicles. And Ford has also proposed to the DOE a national pilot project to promote the use of electric vehicles.

Chrysler LLC said yesterday that it has applied for two initiatives established by the DOE — the Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative and the Transportation Electrification Initiative. Both are designed to speed development, demonstration, evaluation and manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEVs). The program would be a 50/50 partnership with $224 million coming from Chrysler and its partners, combined with a matching $224 million from the DOE.

“These initiatives represent how government and the automotive industry are answering the challenge of reaching common goals and demonstrate how rapidly this type of advanced technology can be brought to market in a collaborative environment,” John Bozzella, senior vice president of External Affairs and Public Policy at Chrysler, said in a statement. “Without U.S. innovation and production capacity, we will simply trade batteries for oil in the pursuit of transportation energy.”

If approved, Chrysler said it plans to use funds to build a test fleet of more that 365 PHEVs and EVs, as well as create a new-vehicle electrification technology and manufacturing center located in Michigan. The proposed vehicles include a Dodge Ram 1500 plug-in hybrid, a Chrysler Town & Country plug-in hybrid and an electric version of the Chrysler Town & Country.

Chrysler said it has established more than a dozen partnerships with city and local governments, research and development authorities, utility companies and universities to test the new vehicles. Through a partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, Chrysler plans to deliver 165 Chrysler Town & Country electric cargo minivans for daily mail service in four regions throughout the country.

Ford’s proposed national pilot project for electric vehicles includes a request for a grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support the project.

The automaker plans to supply a group of utility companies with plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and battery electric vehicles for use in daily operations. The utilities would develop and install “smart” charging facilities for the vehicles. The data from the vehicle use and charging systems will be shared and used to help shape the future power infrastructure needed to meet consumer needs.