You can see a lot of electric vehicles on the streets these days.
Electric cars are usually more expensive than petrol cars.
However, in the US this year, it is predicted that the price of an electric car will become similar to that of a gasoline car.
Correspondent Kim Tae-jong reports from San Francisco.
[Reporter]
Last year, among new cars sold in the US, the proportion of electric vehicles was 5.8%.
It increased by 2.6 percentage points from the previous year.
Electric cars are generally more expensive than petrol cars.
As of the end of last year카지노사이트, the average price of an electric car in the US was $61,500, and our money was $78,000.
It is more than 20% higher than the average price of a gasoline car ($49,500, 63 million won).
However, the New York Times predicted that the price of an electric car will become similar to that of a gasoline car within this year.
The reason for this was a drop in the price of batteries, a major component, and price cut competition in the electric vehicle industry.
The price of lithium, a key material for batteries, has fallen by about 20% from its peak.
This is because lithium supply has stabilized following the development of mines in South America.
In addition, as mass production becomes possible in battery factories built in the United States, production prices are being pulled down.
In the case of GM, through Ultium Cells, a joint venture with LG Energy Solutions, it started mass production of batteries at its first plant in Ohio from last year.
The second plant in Tennessee will begin mass production this year.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), introduced by the US government to encourage clean energy investment, has also fueled price competition in the electric vehicle industry.
As leading company Tesla lowered the selling price by up to 20%, Ford also cut the price of the Mustang Mach-E, a competitor to the Tesla Model Y.
In the case of the Tesla Model 3, the price before applying government subsidies is $43,500, which is $300 cheaper than the BMW3 series.
In the case of the Model Y, the price before subsidy was applied was $55,000, which is similar to the Lexus RX.
The New York Times reported that electric vehicles will be an attractive option for consumers in the future, even at a price.
This is Yonhap News Kim Tae-jong from San Francisco.