Pub. 2018 Issue 1

20 AUTOMOBILE DEALER NEWS ILLINOIS www.illinoisdealers.com A uto manufacturers and their partners are constantly working to improve battery technology, which has led to dramatic advances in electric vehicle development. This has led to a slew of recent and soon-to-be-introduced EV offerings across the spectrum. According to InsideEVs.com, 174,000 plug-in electric vehicles (across 40 available models) were sold in the U.S. in the first 11 months of 2017. That number will continue to grow as more models hit dealer lots and manufacturers continue working on electrification, including the development of dedicated EV platforms that can be used for vehicles of varying body types. It’s become easier to add batteries to vehicles as the costs have come down. When the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf were introduced in 2010, it was reported that they cost about $400 per kilowatt hour (kWh). Some say that cost has come down as much as $200 in the past seven years and the Department of Energy has set an industry target of $125 per kWh by 2022. While the launch of a new Tesla model seems to grab all the headlines, there are dozens of electrified vehicles heading to dealership showrooms over the next few years from virtually every manufacturer. This year alone saw the introduction of the BMW i3, Honda Clarity, Hyundai Ioniq, Kia Niro, Mitsubishi Outlander, the 2nd generation Nissan Leaf, Smart ForTwo, Volkswagen e-Golf and Volvo XC60 T8. According to Automotive News, the following electric vehicles (reflecting a broad range of body styles and price ranges) are also expected to be rolled out: 2018 • Acura RDX • Audi Q8 • Bentley Bentayga & Continental GT • BMW i8 & X3 • Chevrolet Volt (updated) • Honda Civic • Hyundai Kona • Jaguar I-Pace • Mercedes Benz GLC350e & S560e • Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid • Subaru plug-in hybrid 2019 • Acura MDX • Aston Martin RapidE • Audi e-tron crossover • Bentley Continental Flying Spur & Mulsanne • Ford Escape & Model E • Genesis GV80 • Kia Optima • Lamborghini Urus  Manufacturers Are Embracing The Production Of Electric Vehicles