The automotive industry plans to provide environmental-friendly vehicles with the upcoming mass-market of electric cars.

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF will be some of the first electric cars on the market.

Shelby Township senior Vince Cavataio said he would not be interested in buying the first edition of an electric car.

“I like to wait until it is more fine-tuned to buyer critiques of the product,” he said.

Cavataio said he could see electric cars being popular in Mount Pleasant and that popularity would fluctuate due to price and look of the vehicle.

According to the Chevrolet website, the new Volt will allow drivers to commute gas-free on electricity for $1.50 a day. The car can be fully charged in 10 hours.

“I would buy an electric car because the gas price is cut down and they are quieter,” said Utica sophomore Billy Mathis.

The Volt will be launched in California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Michigan and Washington D.C. in limited quantities. The Volt will not be available in Michigan until March 2011.

Alyssa Cook, sales consultant at Graff Chevrolet, 4580 E. Pickard St., said their dealership does not have any 2011 Volts soon.

“Most dealerships will have the Volt sometime by the end of next year,” she said.

Tom Krapohl, co-owner of Krapohl Ford Lincoln Mercury, 1415 E. Pickard St., said his car dealership will not have any electric cars for December. But plans for Ford to release an electric car are well on their way with a new Ford Focus and Transit Connect.

“We haven’t heard a timetable of when these cars will be released,” he said. “But we currently have five different Hybrids on the ground.”

Krapohl said the Focus and Transit Connect will be “totally electric.” He said the new vehicle will most likely come out during this next model year.

He said he expects to see electric cars in Mount Pleasant soon.

“They’d pick Detroit based on a public relations aspect,” he said.

Krapohl said the economy will benefit and emissions will decrease with electric cars. They will deliver a fuel-efficient economy.

He said he could see the electric cars succeeding in a town setting and are not recommended for long highway trips.

Not all students embrace the electric car revolution.

Sterling Heights sophomore Tiffany Binno said she does not have an interest in any cars because she does not like driving.

“I guess I would only be interested if it was American-made and cheap since my dad works for the car industry,” she said.

Associate Vice President of Facilities Management Steve Lawrence said the vehicle, purchased from Miles Laboratory to see the practicality of going green when gas was $4 per gallon, did not live up to the hype.

“We were interested in trying one,” Lawrence said. “But we have been disappointed with the performance of the unit.”

The vehicle’s performance was hindered by Michigan’s harsh weather. Joshua Yelsik, auto and equipment mechanic for Fleet Management, said the vehicle did not function well in the cold weather.

“A lot of the problems were mainly element-related. It was designed for gentler climates,” Yelsik said.

Director of Facility Operations Jay Kahn said the purchase was part of an attempt to go economical and green.

“We’re trying to understand sustainability,” Kahn said. “The purchase was part of a number of projects aimed at improving our sustainability. At the time, electric cars were on everyone’s mind.”

Vehicle problems

Yelsik was one of the mechanics who frequently worked on the vehicle and said the electric car just was not designed for Michigan’s climate.

“It wasn’t sealed up properly for Michigan weather. Batteries generally don’t last long in cold weather,” he said.

The battery life of the vehicle was estimated at about 80 miles on a single charge when CMU purchased the vehicle, which was supposed to allow them one full day of work
before it needed recharging. Right now, workers are only getting about half a day of work out of the vehicle.

The same car also was purchased by Western Michigan University and Michigan State University, Kahn said. He said those universities had similar problems with the vehicle’s battery life and performance and returned the vehicle for a refund.

“We are currently asking the company for a refund. When it’s not able to perform its function, you have to ask the question if it’s a viable option,” Kahn said. “In colder
environments batteries don’t have as much life. On most days the charge will only last until around noon.”

The university has not given up on searching for a more fuel efficient and sustainable vehicle, however. Kahn said this was only the beginning of the search.

“It’s still an early technology. Not everything is going to turn out okay the first time, but that doesn’t mean you stop trying,” Kahn said.