Well Known Fact

#ElectricCar — On the Bleeding Edge

Electric cars are finally making it to market. Soft of.

Electric vehicles—EVs as they are commonly known—are finally commercially viable for motorists and automakers alike. But actually getting your hands on one in 2011 is unlike any other car buying experience.

The next week on Well Known Fact will be dedicated to the experience of researching, test driving, preparing for and ultimately owning an electric vehicle in the here and now.

For the individual car buyer, it’s a story of hope and desperation, of perseverance and misdirection.

This sounds a lot like owning the Next Big Thing in technology circles, as anyone who has ever camped-out for a product launch can relate.

But the same factors that cause exhalation in the technology sphere shake the auto industry to the core.

For car makers, the electric vehicle is nothing but disruptive. It affects the entire supply chain from raw materials to manufacturing, design, engineering, assembly, delivery, and dealer relations. It’s inevitable that the retail transaction of ultimately selling to consumers will be very different.

Enjoy the ride.

This is the first in a series on the state of electric vehicles in 2011.

Part 2 of the Electric Car Series: “A Recent History” »

Part 3 of the Electric Car Series: “Nissan Leaf Test Drive” »

Part 4 of the Electric Car Series: “Charged Up” »

Part 6 of the Electric Car Series: “Difficult Conversations” »

Part 7 of the Electric Car Series: “Secret Message: Like Really Cheap Gas” »

Part 8 of the Electric Car Series: “Getting Legislative” »