Published on November 16th, 2009 | by Nick Chambers

Nissan CEO: Easily More Than 1 Million Electric Cars On US Roads by 2015

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn making remarks at the US unveiling of the Nissan LEAF.

(Photo: Nick Chambers)

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Back on the campaign trail last year, President Obama set a goal of having 1 million plug-in hybrid and electric cars on US roads by 2015. Since the campaign promise, the Obama administration has made available billions of dollars for the development of plug-in hybrids, electric cars, and smart energy grids—mostly for the ultimate goal of actually reaching 1 million plug-ins on the road by 2015.

Last Friday, at the Los Angeles unveiling of the upcoming Nissan LEAF electric car, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn indicated that the president’s goal of 1 million electric cars was quite obtainable, in fact he said that number will be easily surpassed.

“We’re not saying we’re launching ‘electric cars,’ we’re saying we’re launching ‘affordable electric cars’—which is completely different,” remarked Mr. Ghosn. “You can go buy an electric car today at $100,000 or $50,000, but that’s going to be a leach. Who’s going to buy an electric car at $50,000 or $100,000? I would like my neighbor to buy an electric car, but I don’t want to buy an electric car with such a premium. The only way you’re going to mass market electric cars is by offering zero emissions as a free premium.”

If the car makes economic sense, he continued, and the zero emissions comes as a free premium, there is “absolutely no reason that you won’t have much more than 1 million electric cars in the United States before 2015. “

In the past Nissan has made forecasts that by 2020, 10 percent of the car sales in the world will be zero emissions. For those statements, the company was heavily criticized as being overly optimistic and bullish. But Mr. Ghosn responded by saying, “Zero emissions technology is going to become much more popular than we think.”

“We made surveys in Japan, in western Europe and in the United States asking people a very simple question: ‘You have a choice for your next car between an electric car, a plug-in hybrid, a hybrid, a clean diesel, and a gasoline internal combustion car; what will you select as your first choice?’ Eight percent of people in the United States say today that the electric car comes first,” said Ghosn. “There is an appetite, there is a spontaneous demand for something that would represent a breakthrough from the past and would ensure for the consumer that when he buys a car and drives a car the guilt of emitting is completely dissociated from the pleasure of driving.”

While I’m not a big believer in the accuracy of results from surveys, Nissan’s claims certainly seem like they may have legs. For a company of Nissan’s size to devote this much energy and time to the development and marketing of electric cars indicates that they’ve done loads of market research. I’m still not convinced that there will be “much more” than 1 million electric cars on US roads by 2015, but Nissan makes some persuasive arguments. Your thoughts?

Disclaimer: Nissan provided transportation and accommodations for the author’s travel to Los Angeles

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Tags: Carlos Ghosn, Ghosn, LEAF, Los Angeles, Nissan, Nissan LEAF, Obama

About the Author

Nick Chambers Not your traditional car guy.

Ernest

I believe Nissan is truely under estimating the popularity and demand. I was waiting for Toyota and I have several friends just waiting. I personally will probably try to buy one of Nissan electric car as soon as they are available. I di love my Toyotas and they have given us very reliable servise and milage has been fantastic. Under no condition will I General Motors and I would be hard pressed to take one for free. Nissan,Toyota, Honda or etc bring on your electric cars I trust your quality and reliability. PS Fastest drag racer (White Zombie) is all electric setting new records
Ernest

I believe Nissan is truely under estimating the popularity and demand. I was waiting for Toyota and I have several friends just waiting. I personally will probably try to buy one of Nissan electric car as soon as they are available. I di love my Toyotas and they have given us very reliable servise and milage has been fantastic. Under no condition will I General Motors and I would be hard pressed to take one for free. Nissan,Toyota, Honda or etc bring on your electric cars I trust your quality and reliability. PS Fastest drag racer (White Zombie) is all electric setting new records
http://www.CleanEnergySolutionZ.com J.D. Kennedy

It seems to me that if we can get a million new electric cars on the road in the next 5 years, we could simultaneously do the same with converted/retrofitted cars. Recycling a used car with an ICE engine does two things: gets a gas-guzzler off the road and an electric in it’s place. Not to mention it costs less and uses fewer resources. True, we need forward-thinking manufacturers to do what Nissan is doing. But we also could use some more forward-thinking mechanics to start building conversion businesses.
http://www.CleanEnergySolutionZ.com J.D. Kennedy

It seems to me that if we can get a million new electric cars on the road in the next 5 years, we could simultaneously do the same with converted/retrofitted cars. Recycling a used car with an ICE engine does two things: gets a gas-guzzler off the road and an electric in it’s place. Not to mention it costs less and uses fewer resources. True, we need forward-thinking manufacturers to do what Nissan is doing. But we also could use some more forward-thinking mechanics to start building conversion businesses.
http://biodiversivist.blogspot.com/2009/05/hybrid-electric-bike-with-afterburners.html Russ Finley

I agree with Ernest. The poll was based on a sampling. It missed the concerned and dedicated environmental types who will buy them like they are one gargantuan voting block, and once they catch on, everyone will want one.
http://biodiversivist.blogspot.com/2009/05/hybrid-electric-bike-with-afterburners.html Russ Finley

I agree with Ernest. The poll was based on a sampling. It missed the concerned and dedicated environmental types who will buy them like they are one gargantuan voting block, and once they catch on, everyone will want one.
Marc

I think it should be the future as long as the cars or batteries are reliable and don’t get a bad reputation like diesel cars did in the US years ago.

The other thing is charging stations or induced curent through the roadway.
Marc

I think it should be the future as long as the cars or batteries are reliable and don’t get a bad reputation like diesel cars did in the US years ago.

The other thing is charging stations or induced curent through the roadway.
PhilM

I agree 100%. I’m one of the “older” crowd – 55+ and I’m on-board. I won’t purchase another car unless it’s at least plug-in hybrid. Preferably all electric, but I will accept a diesel plug-in that can run bio-diesel from algae. You can tell I’m an optimist when it comes to this stuff!
PhilM

I agree 100%. I’m one of the “older” crowd – 55+ and I’m on-board. I won’t purchase another car unless it’s at least plug-in hybrid. Preferably all electric, but I will accept a diesel plug-in that can run bio-diesel from algae. You can tell I’m an optimist when it comes to this stuff!
http://www.pluginrecharge.com Mark Thomason

If you consider electric cars to be PHEV and Pure EVs, then I think this goal is attainable. If you’re just talking Pure EVs (which requires a good base of charging infrastructure to be installed), then it’s very aggressive.

While I agree with Russ that there is a large block of people that will buy them soon (I can’t wait for mine!), EV’s broad success really comes down to gas prices.

As we saw during the last decade, whenever gas prices spiked, so did the lines at the Toyota dealer to get a Prius (I created a graph of this on my blog on 9/22). But most American’s have short memories and they like to live in the past, so when gas prices relax, they go buy a huge/cheap SUV that fits them better. That said, OPEC (along with oil demand from China and India) has a lot to do with the success of EVs in the US.
http://www.pluginrecharge.com Mark Thomason

If you consider electric cars to be PHEV and Pure EVs, then I think this goal is attainable. If you’re just talking Pure EVs (which requires a good base of charging infrastructure to be installed), then it’s very aggressive.

While I agree with Russ that there is a large block of people that will buy them soon (I can’t wait for mine!), EV’s broad success really comes down to gas prices.

As we saw during the last decade, whenever gas prices spiked, so did the lines at the Toyota dealer to get a Prius (I created a graph of this on my blog on 9/22). But most American’s have short memories and they like to live in the past, so when gas prices relax, they go buy a huge/cheap SUV that fits them better. That said, OPEC (along with oil demand from China and India) has a lot to do with the success of EVs in the US.