Marketing Electric Cars: All Charged Up

According to a Consumer Electronics Association survey, 40% of US adults want to test-drive an electric car. No wonder Nissan has set the marketing objective of delivering 50,000 test-drives for its new electric Leaf (above) over the next year.

Competition in electric cars is all charged up, with various marketing partnerships laying the foundation for future sales. The state of Oregon, for example, has teamed up with Nissan and Portland General Electric to promote electric cars for green reasons.

The Chevy Volt has been in the news lately, with much speculation about how its $41,000 price tag will be received by the target market. Demand might initially outstrip supply, and one report says dealers appear to be getting a premium for their Volts.

The most upscale and elegant of the electric cars are made by Tesla, which has attracted investment from both Daimler and Toyota. Enthusiasts can join the conversation on the brand's forum or on the Tesla Twitter community.