--------------
This problem could have been solved long ago. Look at this survey, the result says that up to 30% of drivers would be interested in an electric car:
*
http://www.evworld.com/archives/interviews2/mcoates1.html
*
Interesting thing is that at half of those people would accept an electric vehicle with a range as low as 60 miles. The technology to accomplish that at a reasonable price has been do-able at least as far back as 1990, maybe even longer ago than that.
*
In fact, look at this sales letter for the 'Electra Van', sold from 1977 to 1981:
*
http://member.newsguy.com/~apeweek/Electravan-letter.pdf
*
It was for sale for only $7999! That price was comparable to the cars of the day. Now look at it's test track specs:
*
http://member.newsguy.com/~apeweek/ElectraVan-specs.pdf
*
It could do up to 100 miles per charge - and it could do freeway speeds too. The company that made this vehicle is long gone - it collapsed in a fraudulent buyout scandal. Was this car real? It sure was. I drive one of them today. Here it is:
*
http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/preview.php?vid=775
*
--------------------