Electric cars worth their weight

65% of a cross-section of car buyers indicated that there was a strong likelihood that they spend an additional 30% on electric cars providing performance, space and practicality weren’t overlooked.

But some 45% countered this by admitting they definitely wouldn’t downsize to the present small city cars on offer in order to stake their green rights.

The crescendo of calls for finding alternative ways in which to power our cars in light of both pressing planetary concerns and in the face of escalating cost of conventional fuel – and with it a likely premium in what the resultant eco-friendly vehicles will cost – preys on the majority of car buyer’s minds in the current climate.

With this on everyone's minds, one independent manufacturer who believes that small isn’t necessarily beautiful has discovered that a large percentage of people consider a 30% increment for an electric vehicle would be a price worth paying. That’s according to Liberty Electric Cars, who conducted some of its own research whilst setting out its stall at the recent Eden Project ‘Green Car Show’.

Although the percentage who concurred that as car buyers they’re prepared to allocate more of their disposable income for future mass produced electric vehicles for the good of the environment and personal monthly bills, made it clear that compromise would have to be sought in terms of perceived space, performance and utility limitations thus far hinted by some forward-thinking car manufacturers forging ahead on a small scale.

Liberty believes that larger, high performance cars could still thrive in the future by learning to adapt and change their DNA to work in tandem with healthier, more frugal power sources, and is currently putting its money where its mouth is by investing some £30 million into the re-engineering of voluminous luxury marques to challenge conventional thinking that implies excessive girth and power is the sworn enemy of emission free motoring.

Electric-powered Range Rover a tall order

Liberty is under no illusion as to the enormity of the task that lies ahead, and to win over detractors who fervently believe that by making green count you automatically have to build with compact and manageable dimensions.

Unsurprisingly therefore, its initial project centres on producing the world’s first zero emission, electrically powered Range Rover, as it really sets about going for the enviro-sceptics jugular. The manufacturing group is confident that its Liberty Electric Range Rover will glibly drive cleanly and quietly across all terrains it encounters, and moreover do so free of the automotively-stiffling shackles of tax, congestion and parking charges as it makes its ambitious pitch.

In the process, it claims the Range Rover will cover 200 miles before needing to be plugged in to the mains, whilst it’s envisaged that certain models would carry onboard range-extending generators to elongate the experience.

Costing between £95k and £125k dependant on the vehicle’s specifications, Liberty electric incorporates cutting-edge energy storage and management systems, which, when proven its worth to both car buyers long term fuel budgets and environmental-sustainability, could pass its expertise on to other car makers, fleet operators and even emergency response providers.