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In order for EVs to have a major impact there will have to be some type of nationwide dealer/service network. I'm not going to buy a vehicle if I can't get it serviced, so while these small start-ups may have a local impact in the grand scheme of things they are invisible. The majority of Americans will be reluctant to embrace these vehicles until they come with a Honda, Toyota or GM badge on them. Small companies with great ideas come and go all the time. My car dealer lodge brother recently visited the Triac facility and is looking to become the northeast distributor, but he is of the opinion that until they can make 50K+ units a year they are little more than novelties or expensive toys. Only large auto makers can provide the economy of scale and available production facilities that will make the difference for EVs/hybrids to be widely accepted and affordable.
And stop crapping on automakers that are actually trying to put new ideas into production. GM and Chrysler have been working on plug-in hybrids for 3 years, but they've been waiting for battery technology to catch up with the rest of the concept. Events forced their hand early, since they would rather have waited until the battery-only range was closer to 100 miles, but here we are and the first generation of plug-ins will make do with 40 mile range. Honda has come right out and said that battery technology is the reason they are waiting before producing an EV or plug-in hybrid. They have been at the forefront of new propulsion technologies and they are content to wait.
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