Charging into the future

Brake pads may not need to be replaced before, say, 100,000 miles, because electric cars can rely on what is called regenerative braking.  By using the electric motor to slow the vehicle, it actually generates electricity that in turn recharges the batteries, meaning stop-and-go traffic can actually extend the range 10 percent to 15 percent. With electricity usage costing one to four cents a mile, what's not to like here?

Is there a market?

In the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car?", actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr., says, "The electric car is not for everybody. It only meets the needs of 90 percent of the population."

Tesla founder Martin Eberhard seconded that thought in "Red Herring" magazine, saying, "Ten years from now, it'll be obvious that electric cars are the way to go. They are more efficient than any other car on the road. They are the ultimate multifuel technology because you can make electricity with whatever comes along."

Soaring gasoline prices, which topped $4 a gallon for the first time recently, could bring even more skeptics on board in the search for a cheaper alternative.