How far away are electric vehicles?

Question

The Tesla roadster is going to be introduced later this year, and it has me wondering: how long before we have more production electric vehicles available?

I live in California and I'm sick of paying so much for gas. When will we have an electric sedan, suv, or coupe?

How far away is the future? How much longer do you think we'll have to wait before we can go to the car dealership and buy an electric vehicle that isn't a golf cart?

Answer 1

They were here once, then they disappeared. They will be back soon i hope.

Answer 2

There have not been big improvements in electric car technology.  We will see more electric cars sold when gas prices go higher and people are willing to sacrifice range for lower cost.

The problem with electric cars is the batteries. Nobody has been able to make batteries that can hold enough electricity to allow the cars to go very far on a charge. So most electric cars go less than 100 miles per charge then need hours to re charge. If a really good battery can be made you will see electric cars take over because other than the battery problem they would be better than gasoline powered cars.

Hybrid cars can run on electric power but have a gasoline (or diesel) engine to recharge the batteries so the car can go as long as it has gasoline.

New diesel powered cars get 40% better MPG than gasoline cars and the new diesel engines are much cleaner and more powerful than the old diesels were. Most diesel powered cars get better MPG on the highway than hybrid cars.

50% of new cars sold in Europe are now diesels and the USA will soon be buying them also. Also they can run on "bio diesel" which is vegetable oil that is grown on American farms. Vegetable oils power comes from the sun so bio diesel cars are really "solar powered" cars. This is not some future technology, I have been driving a Volkswagen Diesel on bio diesel fuel and it is reliable and more powerful than most gasoline cars.

Answer 3

Available in California in October 2008, the Aptera typ-1e will cost about $27,000 with a top speed of 95 mph and range of 120 miles per charge.

http://www.aptera.com/details.php

Soon thereafter Aptera will introduce the typ-1h, a plug-in hybrid version of the typ-1e with a 40-60 mile range on purely electrical energy, and a range of over 600 miles total when in electric/gas hybrid mode, for around $30,000.  On a 120 mile trip, the typ-1h will get 300 miles per gallon.  The shorter the trip, the higher the efficiency.

http://www.aptera.com/details.php

Available in 2009, the ZAP Alias will cost $30,000, have a top speed of 100 mph, and a range of 100 miles per charge.

http://zapworld.com/electric-vehicles/el...

Soon thereafter the ZAP-X will be available at a cost of $60,000 with a top speed of 155 mph and a range of 350 miles per charge.

http://zapworld.com/electric-vehicles/el...

Available in 2009, the Miles Javlon will cost $30,000 with a top speed of 80 mph and a range of 120 miles per charge.

http://www.milesev.com/

Phoenix Motorcars will start selling their SUT to individuals in 2009.  It will cost $45,000 and have a top speed of 100 mph with a range of 100+ miles per charge.

http://phoenixmotorcars.com/

Hopefully available in the US in 2010, the Mitsubishi i MiEV will have a top speed of 80 mph and range of 100 miles for $25,000.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/11/14/...

Toyota and GM will have plug-in hybrids (Prius and Volt) available around that time period as well.

Answer 4

That time will come soon when everybody will electric vehicles. Be patience

Answer 5

depending on what part of california you live in, at some point you will be able to use the hydrogen highway.  california is the first state to actually go forth in using hydrogen as a secondary fuel source...at least that i know of

Answer 6

As far back in the dust of a good Hemi ?

Answer 7

If you mean practical electric vehicles that can compete economically with gasoline or diesel powered vehicles, it will be a long, long time until any are available.  If you mean over priced, toys like the Tesla roadster, you can get them right now.