2325-5987/13/$31.00©2013IEEE IEEE Electrification Magazine / SEPTEMBER 2013 21 HE CONCEPT OF ELECTRIFIED VEHICLES (EVs) is the best old “new” idea that has been around for the last century. Designs have changed to make EVs popular, but until now, no design has captured the pub- lic’s imagination or gained market traction. This is because consumers need more than facts about EVs; they need to be wooed into making a bigger commitment to the EV. We all know that EVs are good for us. The fact that we all don’t have more of them in our daily diet of transporta- tion is not the fault of automakers or consumers. Consumers know that, like fiber, EVs make economic sense, benefit the environment, and are enhanced with “vitamins” like the latest technologies. All the ingredients necessary for a healthy and significant EV penetration are already in the marketplace. What is missing is a certain je ne sais quoi—a winning combination of technology, desire, and marketing to make EVs indispensable to the average North American. Togeth- er engineers and policy makers can make this a reality, but they need to lead with more than just the head—they need to appeal to the heart of the consumer as well. Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MELE.2013.2272481 Date of publication: 23 October 2013 Wooing consumers’ interest in the EV market. By Narayan C. Kar, K.L.V. Iyer, Anas Labak, Xiaomin Lu, Chunyan Lai, Aiswarya Balamurali, Bryan Esteban, and Maher Sid-Ahmed T ©CAN STOCK PHOTO/TOMWANG