The countdown to electric cars begins.

Is that an EV in the path close to you?

Should consumers overcome their electric car sticker shock, it might be. According to a new survey conducted by Pike Research in Boulder, Colorado, 44% of respondents would be "extremely or very interested" in purchasing a battery-powered device.

That's a lot of potential market activity, with nearly three dozen plug-in electric models expected to be introduced by 2012. Perhaps it will free up space at the pump.

The Chevy Volt and the Leaf from Nissan are on their way. Also, this week, Ford announced the first markets where the Ford Focus Electric will debut next year. These are: Texas's Austin, Houston, and Atlanta; New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Orlando, Florida, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona; Oregon's Portland; N.C.'s Raleigh-Durham Richmond, Virginia, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. Mark Fields, president of the Americas for Ford Motor Company, said in a statement, "This is the first step in rolling out the Focus Electric." As "the country continues to build up its electric vehicle infrastructure," he stated, Ford would evaluate markets.

The announcement follows General Electric's announcement that it will convert approximately half of its global corporate fleet to electric vehicles and will collaborate with fleet customers to deploy 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015. The majority of those will be sedan Chevy Volts.

In a statement, GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt stated, "By electrifying our own fleet, we will accelerate the adoption curve, drive scale, and move electric vehicles from anticipation to action."

FedEx Chairman, President, and CEO Fred Smith said in the same release that GE's move helps increase production and lower the cost of electric vehicles, making them more visible and acceptable to the general public. Additionally, FedEx is expanding its fleet with electric trucks and alternative energy vehicles.

It implies the peaceful vehicles will be progressively normal.

According to the findings of the survey conducted by Pike Research, "based on the driving and commute patterns of Americans, PEVs should be a strong fit for a large number of consumers" In point of fact, 81% of respondents stated that greater fuel efficiency would be a significant consideration when purchasing their subsequent vehicle.

However, officials at Pike discovered some drawbacks. Even if they don't have to pay for gas, they said, customers might have a hard time convincing themselves that buying an electric vehicle is more expensive. It might take a very long time to save money at the pump. Unless, of course, you bought a Leaf to replace the old Bentley.

What You Need to Know About Conversions to Electric Vehicles

There are many benefits to building an electric vehicle for you. The operating expenses of an electric vehicle (EV) are much lower than those of a gasoline-powered vehicle (10 times lower). You can save at least five times as much on fuel costs as you would on a gasoline car, even in locations where energy costs are quite high. Because there aren't many complicated mechanisms in the engine setup, electric cars don't need to be maintained. If you keep an electric car in good working order, you can drive it for a long time and the batteries will last a very long time.

On most sedans and trucks, converting to EVs is a simple process. To construct your own electric vehicle, you must first select a donor vehicle, which may also be your current vehicle. Notwithstanding, it is essential to pick a contributor vehicle that is notable for electric vehicle change since there are numerous vehicle marks that haven't got changed over previously and in the event that you pick such a vehicle, you should concoct numerous things without help from anyone else. It's much simpler when you use the right donor vehicle.

The following steps must be taken during the conversion after selecting the donor vehicle:

1. Find the Right Motor: Motors will take the place of engines in electric vehicles. The power output, range, and other features of the various conversion kits vary. You must first determine which of the various kits available for your vehicle meets your requirements.

2. The Conversion Center: You can approach a conversion center if you do not intend to perform the conversion on your own. Perusing client surveys at different sites will assist you with finding a decent change place near your home.

3. Battery: The batteries in an electric car are the most crucial component because they determine the range and features of the vehicle. Although lithium-ion batteries perform admirably, they are currently expensive and there are few indications that a lithium-ion kit will last longer. On the other hand, lead acid battery packs are inexpensive but only provide a limited amount of power. A DC conversion is the best setup for lead acid batteries.

4. The Right Kit: Batteries are sold separately, whereas conversion kits typically include the motor, controller, and other accessories. Even if you purchase a car-specific conversion kit, there is still a chance that you will run into problems during the process. This is very natural, but if you buy your kit from a company with a great customer support system, it will be much easier for you to find the missing parts.

When converting a gasoline-powered vehicle to an electric one, these are the most critical components. You can find a lot of useful information that will make your conversion a lot easier if you can find stories about people who converted the same car as you do.