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Automakers embrace electric vehicles. But what about buyers?
The world’s major automakers have made something abundantly clear: They believe electric vehicles will dominate their industry in the years ahead.
Yet for that to happen, they’ll need to sell the idea to people like Steve Bock.
When Bock recently replaced his family’s 2013 Honda Pilot SUV, he considered — and then dismissed — the idea of buying an electric vehicle. An EV with enough room to carry his two dogs would cost too much, he decided. And he’d worry about driving long distances with too few charging stations.
“I would consider it if the prices would come down,” Bock said, though leaving open the possibility of buying an electric vehicle next time.
Instead, Bock, of suburban Raleigh, North Carolina, settled on a Subaru Outback. Like nearly every other vehicle sold in the United States, it runs on gasoline.
Opinion polls show that a substantial majority of Americans are aligned with Bock. An EV might be on their shopping list if it cost less, if more charging stations existed and if a wider variety of models were available. In other words, the time isn’t right.
It adds up to a significant risk for the largest automakers. With governments across the globe intensifying efforts to reverse climate change, the automakers are staking their futures on the notion that consumers will soon be ready to buy vehicles that run not on the internal combustion engines that have powered cars and trucks for more than a century but on electricity stored in a battery pack.
General Motors, Ford and Volkswagen plan to spend a combined $77 billion developing global electric vehicles over the next five years, with models from pickup trucks to small SUVs. GM has gone so far as to announce a goal of ending gasoline- and diesel-fueled passenger vehicles entirely by 2035 – and to become carbon-neutral by 2040.
For the automakers, the risk is as hazardous as it is simple: What if American consumers reject electric vehicles for many years to come?
Companies would have no choice but to discount them and hope, in the meantime, that their profits from gas vehicles would still cover their costs — at least until large proportions of buyers gravitated toward EVs.
If they don’t, the financial blow could be heavy. For now, EVs make up less than 2% of U.S. new-vehicle sales and about 3% worldwide.
“It’s still a sector that doesn’t have a mass appeal to the entire population,” said Jeff Schuster, president of global vehicle forecasting for LMC Automotive, a consulting firm. “It could be a financial drain if consumers do not buy at the same level.”
Yet in contrast to the United States, sales of EVs have taken off in Europe and China, largely because of much more far-reaching pollution regulations and government incentives. Those tighter environmental regulations are forcing the industry to sell more electric vehicles.
In Europe, carmakers unveiled a slew of new electric models ahead of lower EU limits on average emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas blamed for climate change, that took full effect at the start of this year. Government-backed incentives can cut the cost to near that of an internal combustion vehicle.
The result: Nearly 730,000 battery vehicles were sold in Europe in 2020 — more than 300,000 of them in the final three months of the year. The market share of electric vehicles — battery-only and plug-in hybrids — jumped from 3% to 10.5%. By December, their share had reached nearly one in four.
Among the new owners is Kerstin Griese of Essen, Germany, who bought a battery-powered Peugeot 208 after having driven electric cars in the motor pool at work. Griese found that they supplied the acceleration necessary to merge safely onto the highway for her 40 kilometer (25 mile) commute to the public works department in the town of Solingen.
“I said to myself, when they cost around 30,000 euros ($36,263) and have more than 300 kilometers of range, and when the incentives are set high, then I’m there. And that happened last year.”
After a government subsidy of 6,000 euros and the carmaker’s 3,000 euro share, her new car will cost around 24,000 euros ($29,000). The car can use fast-charging stations along highways, where she can recharge in a half hour when she takes longer trips, such as shopping excursions to the neighboring Netherlands, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) away.
“I found that very appealing,” she said.
In China, which accounts for about 40% of global EV sales, purchases have accelerated because of limits on the number of internal combustion cars that can be registered in six major cities, said Arndt Ellinghorst, an analyst at the research firm Sanford C. Bernstein.
Automakers, including startups Lucid, Bollinger, Rivian and Workhorse, plan to introduce 22 new EV models in the U.S. this year after having rolled out six last year, according to LMC.
Tighter regulations — and, perhaps with it, higher sales of EVs — might be coming to the United States, too, if the Biden administration succeeds in its promotion of electric vehicles as part of a broad plan to fight climate change.
Still, it could prove an uphill battle. Only 260,000 fully electric vehicles were sold last year in the United States. That’s out of a total new-vehicle market of 14.6 million. In fact, Americans are still spurning cars, in general, in favor of less-fuel-efficient trucks and SUVs.
Two polls late last year offered a glimpse of Americans’ appetite for electric vehicles. One, by Consumer Reports, showed that only 4% of adults with a driver’s license planned to acquire an EV the next time they buy a vehicle. An additional 27% said they would consider one. About 40% express some interest — but not for their next purchase. About 29% don’t want an EV at all.
Likewise, when J.D. Power surveyed people who intend to buy or lease a new vehicle in the next 18 months, only about 20% said they were likely to buy an EV. Roughly 21% were unlikely. The rest were undecided.
“For every new-vehicle shopper seriously considering (battery electric vehicles), there’s another at the opposite end of the spectrum,” said Stewart Stropp, senior director of automotive retail at J.D. Power.
For one thing, Stropp said, most buyers are unfamiliar with electric vehicles and haven’t ridden in one. Those who have, though, are roughly three times as likely to consider them, he said. People want as many chargers as gas stations, Stropp said, but don’t seem to realize that most charging can be done at home.
The task of breaking down the American public’s hesitance to invest in a fully electric vehicle could prove problematic. And the automakers clearly recognize it. Last year, General Motors planned a major public campaign featuring test drives and engineers to answer customer questions at events around the country. The viral pandemic, though, forced it to scrap the plan.
GM is making experts available virtually this summer as it starts selling a Chevrolet Bolt small electric SUV for just under $34,000, its first electric entry into the most popular segment of the U.S. market. But Tony Johnson, marketing director for Chevy electric vehicles, acknowledges that there’s no substitute for “putting seats in seats.”
Johnson notes optimistically that surveys done for GM show that the number of people who would consider an EV is far higher than it was five years ago. GM is keeping the price of the revamped Bolt hatchback to under $32,000, he said, and is offering free home charging stations.
Schuster foresees U.S. sales rising this year to 359,000, taking off in 2022 and reaching over 1 million the next year. By 2030, LMC predicts U.S. sales of over 4 million EVs. Yet even that would represent only one-quarter of the overall market.
Still, encouraging signs emerged in February, when EV sales rose 55% from a year ago to 18,969, according to Edmunds.com. Helping boost sales, Schuster said, was the variety of models, plus added incentives and the expectation of stricter pollution limits from the Biden administration. Biden favors expanding a tax credit for buying EVs and has pledged to help build 500,000 more charging stations and increase fuel economy requirements.
Currently, a $7,500 federal tax credit is phased out after an automaker hits 200,000 EV sales. GM and Tesla have both exceeded that level, and Nissan is close. A bill from Democrats would raise the cap to 600,000. Such a move would clearly help Tesla, the world leader in EV sales, which is facing increased competition as other automakers try to catch up.
The market will tip toward EVs, Schuster predicts, when all these forces line up.
“There are more choices, competitive pressure,” he said. “A new generation of technology will drive prices down. We’re getting there.”
DETROIT (AP) — By TOM KRISHER and DAVID MCHUG
Looking at societies nowadays, you will see that almost everything we do on a daily basis, be it for personal, educational, or even career purposes, is heavily intertwined with technology. This innovative approach to dealing with almost all life aspects can be simply achieved from the tranquility of any intelligent device at our disposal. The extensive reliance on these devices has put us in awe of the endless possibilities technology can deliver to humanity. Technological innovations are no longer confined to entertainment limitations, such as social media, communication, or even transportation. The extensive incorporation of technology is re-shaping how societies and communities function, shifting the dynamic to make technology a way of living instead of a means of entertainment. A tech career is now considered one of the best career paths as the world, as a whole, takes a technological shift with the global embrace of digital transformation. So, is technology a good career path?
Is Tech Worth Getting Into?
The tech industry has been on exponential growth, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is expected to maintain its rise in the years to come. Almost every company is embracing the digital transformation wave, increasing economies’ reliance on the tech industry. And with this widespread reliance comes a more considerable responsibility for the tech industry to meet expectations. This means providing the proper support for the driving force behind technology adoption and advancement by increasing the demand for specific tech-related jobs and supporting individuals seeking such career endeavors.
Since its emergence, technology has maintained a fast development, and with the hasty adoption of digital means, it will maintain its growth. Nowadays, various technologies are considered the pillars that will help shape countries’ economic growth. From cloud computing, AI and machine learning to blockchain and much more, technology has become a key pillar in almost all sectors, such as finance, engineering, manufacturing, health, and others.
From there, it is only rational to conclude that technology will drive the need for a more expanded tech career path. In 2018, it was recorded that the need for an AI-based workforce doubled since 2015, with the openings increasing by an estimate of 119 percent.
The need to further encourage innovations and critical thinkers will drive economic sectors’ growth and, in return, answer to the 21st Century’s accumulating financial problems. And for that to come to fruition, pursuing a career path in some of the leading global technologies such as data science, AI, and even software development will be vital in reconceptualizing the tech industry.
Why is Tech a Good Career Path?
There are many reasons to consider when asking the question, is technology a good career path? First and foremost, when pursuing the option of a tech-focused career path, one must understand why entering the tech industry could hold a wide range of benefits to the pursuer.
Even though the pandemic played a fundamental role in extending the need for the tech industry, this need will indefinitely linger on. Even though the volume of tech positions plummeted during the pandemic, some of the world’s most influential and prominent economies shifted their hiring strategies toward tech graduates. This hiring drive is expected to linger till 2030 to accommodate the global shift towards adopting more innovative approaches such as cloud storage, as well in support of implementing sustainable strategies worldwide.
The shift following the pandemic, accredited to the heightened fixation on accelerating digital transformation, will further increase the demand for specific technology jobs, intensifying the demand for such positions. This means in the future, almost any traditional profession will be replaced with the digital or tech-associated one to meet the digital needs of the market.
This will lead to a wide variety of career opportunities in numerous industries, such as a programmer in health, education, transportation, communication, financial services, and even retail.
What are the Benefits of Having a Career in Technology?
As the tech industry is rapidly evolving and manifesting into a colossus of opportunities, its deliverance of progressive career prospects holds notable personal significance for individuals seeking to enter the field. Companies are transforming their frameworks to keep up with the technological aspect of the future of work. And to those planning to join the tech market soon, the industry holds diversified opportunities as long as they are willing to accommodate the industry’s instantaneous change to obtain its big rewards while competing with new and rising talents.
Choosing the right career path in the tech industry is pivotal as it will adequately direct the person to their future with a high-paying salary. There is money to be made when working in the tech industry, given that the industry itself generates a hefty capital to invest in its innovations and projects.
For most tech jobs, experience is associated with money. The more a person attains knowledge and expertise in their tech career, the higher the salary will be. Some of these careers focus on machine learning, AI, and developing data models.
Another beneficial factor lies in understanding the importance of the job you are seeking within the industry. It is no surprise that technology is one of the pillars shaping the modernization of the world’s revolutionizing advancement. For instance, careers focusing on AI are in high demand, as the sector is expansively growing year-over-year, primarily since machine learning provides deep profundity for other sectors to leverage its endless possibilities, such as energy, management, retail, marketing, software development, and more.
Closing Thoughts
A career in technology is worth the effort and time invested in it. But, unless the pursuer of such a path is genuinely interested and intrigued by its possibilities and ready to face its challenges, this may not be the right path to pursue. A career in technology is based on a passion for technology and innovations. It can be endorsed with the willingness to learn new technologies and develop the right mentality to find the right solutions for complicated problems that have not existed. While there are many pros and cons to working in the tech industry, saying “is technology a good career path?” might come off as relatively vague and generalized. The main question should be, what career path within the tech industry do I want to seek, and is that direction suitable for my career needs.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the Tech industry. Keep an eye on our Community section to stay informed and updated with our daily articles.
Over the past few years, India immensely benefited from Western technologies in various aspects. For a country with a relatively fractured economy, technology swooped in to simplify and accelerate mass production for an extensively increased population, allowing them to improve their production of raw materials, typically traded in global economies. Adopting western technology in India is becoming a significant factor driving the country’s economy and achieving its economic growth goals. In this piece, So, how did India benefit from western technology?
Science and Technology in India
The history of science and technology in India emerged when the country was under the influence of the British regime that lasted almost 150 years. Science and technology in India flourished the country as it accounts for some of the most prominent scientists and mathematicians, which in return, with time, delivered the famous Indian numeral system creating today’s mathematics, and modern accounting, and made computer technology a plausible future.
Yet, India flourishing in terms of its scientific and technological development was heavily influenced by British colonialism, as the colonial experience was solemnly based on imposing a certain level of control on Indian territory and resources. British colonialism did not leave room for Indian knowledge and expertise to flourish, limiting accessibility to proper education and scientific opportunities that would’ve contributed to the country’s independent economic growth.
India’s experiment with socialism and colonialism that lasted almost four decades brought on local innovation based on domestic innovations. This halted India’s economic growth until the 1900s. During that time, companies were nothing but modest small enterprises taking over small projects with primary technologies that lacked a supportive capital efficiency.
Throughout that period emerged the era of pre-liberalized India, where foreign technologies were not accessible, mainly driven by the lack of the needed resources to support economic growth. This led to what is today known as India’s path of ”techno-nationalism” where the country finally reached a level of self-reliance in terms of developing its own technologies for both public and governmental sectors, such as nuclear, defense, energy, and much more.
What Technological Advancements did the British Bring to India?
British colonialism heavily affected India’s technological adoption in terms of textile technologies. The country’s vague influence by the imposed colonialism can be attributed to India’s organizational and institutional environments where most of the development was mainly associated with the mercantile families with almost no knowledge or expertise-based in managing modern tech. The lack of interest in technological development derived from the fact that such families focused on financial dealings; therefore, the British were in charge of the country’s technological development.
At the time, critical technologies such as the railways, electric telegraph, and steamer were some of India’s most significant alterations, creating the pillars for the country’s growth in the 21st Century. These big technologies attracted the attention of some of the most renowned scholars, which positively affected the fundamental fabric of societies, revolutionizing today’s day-to-day lives.
Such technologies enticed further awareness from important figures that could contribute to the country’s economic growth than those relatively smaller technologies. While weaving looms, spinning wheels, rice hullers, bicycles, steel pens, and even typewriters did endorse India’s modernization, it did so slowly, unlike the overspread of significant technologies.
India’s Western Culture
As a secular country, where people have the utmost freedom to practice whatever ancient religion they choose, the country’s extended its embrace of the westernized culture established by British colonialism. As one of the richest cultures in the world, the country’s history dating back to several thousands of years, was abruptly changed throughout time due to the conquest of European power intertwined with the British rule of Indian territories.
The westernization of the Indian societal culture created westernized subcultural patterns in a minority of Indian territories which later on branched out to emerge as a newly synthesized western Indian culture.
The westernization of India brought forth the establishment of new economic, political, and cultural branches in the country’s societal ecosystem. And with the country’s open mindset and attitude toward scientific discoveries and emerging technologies, scientific and technological means were no longer a symbol of British colonialism but rather a means to consolidate their ruling.
How did India Benefit from Western Technology?
The establishment of British technologies in Indian territories introduced a new world to an ancient culture through an imperialistic establishment in the country. The introduction of big western technologies during that period birthed a remarkable development in the country’s infrastructure, creating diversified job opportunities branching into various sectors.
India’s adoption of western technologies played a fundamental role in hastening the country’s independence from the imposed ruling. Numerous technologies associated with industries, factories, mines, and ammunition centers rose, supporting the country’s future freedom while creating a suitable base for a robust relationship with the western world, notably Europe and the U.S.
Such relationships account for India’s current arms and ammunition power, in addition to its technological and internet growth, resulting in some of the most prominent companies in the world setting operations in the country, such as Big Tech giants Google and Amazon.
Summary
The answer as to how did India benefit from western technologies lies in the the introduction of a capital-intensive and labor-saving technology in a country that holds significant symbolism concerning the direction of its economic growth. India’s beneficiating of the western technologies brought forth endless opportunities for a once colonized country and faced persistent challenges when seeking its independence. Technology plays a remarkable role in directing India on that path. Now, India is considered the new Silicon Valley as it has established a robust technology-based economy.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology section to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.
Urbanization has been taking over worldwide for the past few decades, with people moving to cities planning to be sustainable cities of the future.
The UN-Habitat estimates that since 2009, over three million people have moved into cities every week. Urban areas have been attractive destinations for migrants hoping to find a higher standard of living and better jobs.
The UN has dedicated a sustainable development goal (SDG) to slow down human-induced climate change. While migrants contribute significantly to the economies of cities, increasing populations introduce problems of distribution of resources, congestion, and increased pressure on waste management healthcare, infrastructure, and education.
It is estimated that by 2050, 70 percent of the world’s population will live in cities, making the concept of sustainable cities an efficient resolution to the growing population.
Sustainable Cities with a Cleaner Future
Sustainable cities with a cleaner future have a role in the urbanization movement to enhance residents’ lives by focusing on futuristic and environmental initiatives. The aim is to have eco-friendly cities focusing on restricting CO2 gas emissions in the air, employing renewable energy sources, or conveying awareness of ecological issues.
Considering that outdoor pollution kills around three million lives yearly, mostly in cities, it is evident that urbanization can increase the environmental effect on towns. Many cities worldwide have redesigned their city planning strategies and started with initiatives to target these issues directly.
Arcadis, a leading global design and consultancy firm for natural and built assets, created a list of 100 sustainable cities worldwide that have contributed to projects and initiatives to resolve urbanization’s effects on the environment.
According to Arcadis’s Index, examples of innovative, sustainable cities of the future and one of the sustainable cities in the world are:
Zurich
Taking first place with a total score of 87.9 percent. Zurich started many projects that ranked its first place, such as their long-term goal to become a 2000-watt society by 2050.
Another project was the Green City Zurich project, which seeks to maintain and improve all green spaces. These challenging goals are achievable when the government gives investment funds, focuses on renewable sources and energy efficiency, and increases the public’s awareness of sustainability.
Sydney
Also, one of the most sustainable cities that had considerable impact on battling climate change for their residents is Sydney. Coming out in the top 10, Sydney started the Sustainable Sydney 2030 initiative to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 70 percent.
This plan will help the residents because breathing air quality will improve and restore dying ecosystems. In addition, Sydney pictures a Smart City for the future to enhance public transportation, bring its citizens together and make the city more sustainable.
Copenhagen and Rome
On another note, the most eco-friendly city in the world is Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen which has been voted the most eco-friendly city many times because of its dedication to creating green ways of living and sustainability. Biking is the most fashionable means of transportation in this town, and it strives to have half of its people cycling to work or school this year.
Politicians, city planners, and other organizations developed initiatives and sustainability projects for cities; however, many ideas have been embedded in the public. For example, ranking seven in Arcadis, Rome began the Participate 3- Year Project that allows citizens to contribute to potential solutions for urban problems. Sustainable and innovative solutions like this will enable the public to engage in the transformation of their cities and develop practical answers.
Sustainable cities and communities are a great way to combat urbanization issues; Smart Cities improve the quality of life through better communication technologies and efficiency of urban operations while enveloping sustainable cities’ core values.
Smart Cities and Related IoT Projects
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) which is vigorously contributing to transforming Dubai into the most innovative city globally. DEWA developed a broad strategy to implement smart electricity and water infrastructure to support this objective; it is called a “Smart Grid.”
It will deliver state-of-the-art components and includes automated decision-making and interoperability across the entire water and electricity network. DEWA’s Smart Grid Programme, with investments totaling $1.9 billion, supports the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the most innovative and happiest city in the world.
The program is a critical element of DEWA’s strategy to develop an advanced infrastructure. It sustains the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Emissions Strategy 2050 to deliver 100 percent of the energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.
Summary
The concept of sustainable cities is pivotal to having more people live in those cities that will be less polluted than before. This process will guarantee the “sustainable” move of the people to cities without reconsidering moving out the fact that they will feel comfortable staying there. For example, renewable energy industries continue to reach unprecedented growth worldwide. For that reason, not only cities are becoming ecofriendly but different communities and industries around the world, taking the world to another aspect.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the Tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology news section to stay informed and updated with our daily articles.
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Ian Terblanche, Global Strategic Sales & Channel Director at Sigfox
