I believe that IF (notice my big IF) for electric city commuter cars to be an actual viable alternative, we really have to start thinking outside the box, and not just apply an electric motor to the same engineering we use with internal combustion engines. The concept of just pulling out the petrol engine and replacing it with an electric motor and battery, a second feul motor to run and charge that battery, and loss of power though the age old drive train of gearbox etc, has to be completely rethought. Yes, some are on the rifgt path, I have seen german designs with a motor in each wheel, thus less weight and power loss from the direct drive, but, then you still have to own and charge up those batteries, and they only have soooooo much life, and the environmental conserns with THAT many huge batteries is staggering. Energy Companys and manufactureres need to come together with a newer concept, Yes, you own the car, but, you don't own the battery, you buy rights to "Rent" one. IE, your vehicle has a large battery taking up what would normally be your engine bay, drive comes from motors in each wheel. When low on power, you drive into a rechage station, and thru a drive thru, that exchanges the battery with a fresh one, (Just like the Swap-n-go system places use for LPG BBQ cylinders) you drive off with a fully recharged unit. I'm not saying tommorrow, I'm not saying in 10 yrs, but, in 50 yrs it may very well be a standard everyday thing. As our energy storage technology increases a battery to run a car for 500 miles and at highway speeds in all likelyness will become smaller lighter and more cost effective. Look at the humble mobile cell phone, they used to be the size of a brick and would last for about 10minutes now they dissappear in you hand, last for a week and play all your music, and surf the internet as well.
Now , Yes, I understand that means a huge amount of inferstructure to build "Exchange centres" of course, but as I said, all busines involved need to come up with a solution together, and before you say I could never happen, you could never build such an inferstructure, it has already happened more than once before, with petrolium , yes, to our forfathers, seeing the introduction of the "Horseless Carrage" the whole concept seemed like a joke, Yes, the car ran, but, to make it work, there would have to be petrol stations all over the world so as you could fill up to drive further. The Car would never replace the horse, it just didn't seem possible
Think Cell phones.....once again the concept of a mobile cell network seemed inconcievable to set-up and manage and get people to use, but, now every man women and child has one and can't get by without one.
Don't get me wrong, I for one would be devistated at the concept of not having that rumble of a real engine, burning away the bonnet, but, it may very well be some thing that our childrens childrens children may not get to experience, except for when they go to a show and see some old guy there struggling to start some noisy old cluncking petrol engine stinking up the place and scaring one and all with it's foul stench.
