Will charging stations be able to support electric cars’ popularity?

By now, the  Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf have received their first customers, and while official customer reviews are still pending, it seems everyone is wondering how long before this fad blows up and how well the cars will integrate into everyday life. More specifically, how are people charging their cars?

A few people have begun installing home chargers to power up their purchases, but with limits on the number of miles a full battery will cover and a massive number of people who don’t own homes; chargers in public areas will eventually become inevitable. So realistically, how many places will offer charging stations for these cars to be effective?

The Chevy Volt advertises an estimated 25-50 miles of gas-free travel on a full battery, and the Leaf boasts 100 miles. The difference is that the Volt retains it gas tank, which will combine with the battery in some situations and take over for the battery when it is depleted. The Leaf, on the other hand, is all-electric and when the battery dies, the car dies.

At present, public charging stations are limited to select geographic areas, and can be found through smartphone applications and online listings; however, this is a drastic change from the drive-until-you-see-a-gas-station approach that most people taking with searching for fuel. Trips over 100 miles now require advance planning in order to assure that drivers will make it to their destination uninterrupted.

In order to bridge the gap between charging stations and gas pumps, the auto industry, environmental groups and local business owners will be working overtime to accommodate the assumedly growing number of electric vehicle owners. According to Pike Research, the next 5 years will see 4.7 million charge points installed globally, including both business and residential locations. While this goal may not actually be reached, depending on the number of cars sold, it’s going to take a substantial number of charging stations to make the vehicles ready for effective use.