by James Kanata

Created on: August 09, 2010   Last Updated: August 10, 2010

The electric car, despite its somewhat high technology image, has actually been with us for over a century. During the early years of automotive development, all possible forms of powering a car were considered, from steam to electricity to gasoline. In fact, in America in 1899, electric cars were actually the single most popular selling type of car[1]. Eventually, petrol and diesel engines became gradually more refined and reliable, and after that initial peak in creative development the electric car gave way to the internal combustion engine as we know it today.

The death knell for electric cars at the turn of the century sounds eerily familiar even today. The major complaints in the early 1900's were that electric cars had a short range, cost a lot to buy and had agonizingly long charge periods. It could be easily argued that those same limitations exist today. Despite advances in technology, the question of how to produce an affordable, long range electric car seems to confound automotive manufacturers. In 2010 the electric car still seems to be going nowhere. 

Even with the price of oil on average being around $70 a barrel for over 5 years and peaking at over $100[2], the electric car is still not an economically viable solution. Some commentators seem to feel that the electric car’s time will come eventually, as gas prices force us to consider other options. Considering the problems facing electric cars today, this seems very unlikely.

It is not without reason that car manufacturers have attempted to bridge the gap by use of hybrid cars. Of course, this isn't strictly an electric vehicle, as it uses a petrol engine in conjunction with an electric motor. Even so, the fuel economy figures are no more than an equivalent diesel engined car, with the added disadvantage of having to spend thousands replacing the hybrid batteries every few years. The success of vehicles like the Prius are mainly due to clever marketing and selling to environmentally concerned car owners. Even so, Toyota remains unperturbed and hopes to offer a Prius with a plug in charging option in 2011, allowing it to function as an electric vehicle. Unfortunately, this new Prius can only travel a paltry 14.5 miles on electric power[3].

Looking at electric only cars is just as depressing. Perhaps the most famous example in recent times is the Tesla Roadster, which can travel an average of 200 miles after a 6 hour charge. Unfortunately, it also costs over $100,000. The new Peugeot iOn,

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