Cost has always been one of the major stumbling blocks to bringing electric vehicles to market. The cars are expensive to develop and the battery packs are a complex new technology (at this scale and performance) and currently more expensive to build than traditional internal combustion engines. As a consequence, electric vehicles have either been high-priced niche products or limited production concept vehicles. Our objective has always been for the price of our zero-emission vehicles to be at the same purchase price as a comparable gasoline or diesel engined vehicle.

On Tuesday, May 25th Alliance Chairman and CEO, Carlos Ghosn, will be appearing at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit, MI. The event, which takes place at midday at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit, will be a discussion on topics  including the consolidation trends of the global auto industry, the growth and importance of emerging markets, the outlook for the industry post-crisis and the development of electric vehicles and their role in the future of mobility.

The Detroit Economic Club (DEC) was formed in 1934 as a non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to the discussion and debate of important business, government and social issues. The DEC continues to provide a platform for distinguished international dignitaries and business leaders, who represent the changing global environment.  The DEC is proud to have hosted every sitting U.S. President since Richard Nixon.

You don’t need me to tell you what a difficult year 2009 was for the global car industry.