Quote:Agreed. Also, battery tech has been improving greatly of late, the problem is that the alternatives to the lead-acid batteries are still expensive, and the real kicker is charge time.
The biggest issue with electric powered cars that I can see is where the electricity comes from in the first place. If you're charging it in a place that generates its power from old coal-fired power stations, then you're no better off (or IIRC, actually worse off) than if you just ran the car using a standard internal combustion engine.
Things needed for a viable electrical car:
1) Widespread acceptance and implementation of clean electricity production - solar/wind/nuclear - completely replacing coal/oil.
2) Batteries that can consistently hold a 300-mile charge and be recharged in under 10 minutes.
3) Implementation by industry of recharge stations capable of accomodating #2.
Electrical motors do not need to be heavy; the problems arise when you try to implement one without altering the basic mechanics of the car to compensate. Simply putting one in place of a conventional piston engine will drive you nuts because of how much it has to drive, and it'll have to be big and heavy.
The actual implementation car manufacturers are looking at does not do this; it uses the so-called "skateboard" design, with no central motor at all - just an independant smaller motor powering each wheel. This is immensely lighter and far more energy-efficient.--
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