Plug-in hybrids meet all the concerns about range, and "point-of-no-return".
SuperTrooper's point about "fleet turnover" is absolutely correct.
I was talking to a GM guy last week at a green vehicles event, and he commented on that quite a bit.
My feeling is that Hybrids lead to plug-in hybrids. People will realize how great the plug-in part is and try to use the gas part less and less. This eventually leads to pure EV's or at least a lot of plug-in hybrids using the gas as a backup instead of the main power source.
It really does feel like times are changing.
EVs are being built, not because of a CARB mandate, but because of consumer demand and manufacterer competition.
GM is not going to be able to sue the American people into not making the Volt, the way it did with the EV1.
It's true that electronic technology like a cell phone "turns over" much faster than a big chunk of steel like a car does. However, how many people have a 2-year lease? How many people buy a new car every couple of years, and pass their old one down the line?
It's not going to take 20 years to make EVs mainstream.
The Prius has been in the US since 2000 (8 years ago) and it's gone from being a "tree-hugger" "what's that thing?" of a car to one of the most popular cars in this country.
Demand for these vehicles exceeds supply. I have never yet seen a sale on Prius' at a dealership.
All the manufacters make several different hybrids in various forms.
I just see how hybrids have effected our car culture and think that they have paved the way for plug-ins to start making it in a big way.
Also, remember how much GM has riding on the Volt. GM is a HUGE company loosing money out the wazoo right now. They need a big success real soon. (Or else another govenment bail-out! Haven't we had enough of these lately?
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With them throwing so much money and effort into that project, the other manufacturers will have to respond to the competition.
Not saying EVs are going to replace all gas cars. We all have cell phones, but land lines are still around. Television came out and didn't make radio extinct. The gas car came out, but we still have steam cars. Oh wait, we don't anymore!
So, some technologies complement, and some replace.
But I still think the EV's time has come. (Again)
And don't even get me started on how suburbs changed our transportation system!