Over three million electric vehicles will be sold across the globe by 2015 as automakers successfully mass market the products worldwide, according to Pike Research.
The firm has forecast that sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will total 3.2 million between 2010 and 2015. China is expected to be the largest market for electric vehicles, with predictions suggesting more than 888,000 will be sold in the nation over the next five years. The US is likely to be a close second, with an estimated 841,000 vehicles expected to be sold. "PHEVs and BEVs will complement, rather than displace, the market for conventional hybrid electric vehicles," said Pike Research senior analyst Dave Hurst. "Electric vehicles will follow the lead of hybrids and will be launched in the small car segment for consumer markets initially, with the small SUV segment close behind.
Because of their low weight and good aerodynamics, smaller vehicles are far more efficient to better extend the electrically powered driving range, and the smaller vehicle segments also allow the use of a smaller, less expensive battery." Yesterday, (September 1st), the Nissan Leaf electric car went on pre-order sale in the UK. The vehicle will go on sale in the US and Japan over the coming weeks, however, much of Europe will have to wait until next year to purchase the car. 
