Nissan Leaf runs equivalent of 99 miles per gallon

Problem is that electric car has very limited range. You cannot drive from From San Francisco to Los Angeles without charging. Now, where is the charging station? I would skip buying this garbage and all full electric car cannot travel long distance. Stay with Prius. They are better buy by far.

having been to san francisco recently I can say that the Prius market is major. Saw many cab companies using a Prius as well.

However every car has it's uses. If you have to travel one way 100 miles a day that would suck as a commute to begin with. Recharging it while parked might be an option so the daily range would be different

I just can't see people needing more than even the 73 miles a day one way for a commute. Given that it has personal market potential but not for a cab.

I can't see why they can't make more LPG(or ethanol)/electric hybrids. Taxis in Japan already run on LP gas as it is, and it wouldn't be much of a burden on demand since the only people doing the refueling would be the people going on extended trips outside the city.

Here is the problem with electric vehicles: about 50% of all miles driven in the United States are driven on trips of more than 100 miles. The range problem might not be an issue in say, Japan or Hawaii. Definitely a handicap in the continental United States.

Another issue not addressed is the payload. Most electric vehicles have weight restrictions, because the battery weight usually sucks up the payload capacity of the body and suspension.

about 50% of all miles driven in the United States are driven on trips of more than 100 miles.

About 50% of all miles driven, then, would be less than 100 miles. Electric cars are for your daily commute (of less than 100 miles) not for family vacations to the Grand Canyon. (Unless you live in Flagstaff.)

Your payload issue is of interest, though. Can a carpool of four overpower an electric car?

When Michael Schumacher drives one on Sundays I'll consider an electric car.

borscht at 06:04 PM JST - 23rd November. Electric cars are for your daily commute (of less than 100 miles) not for family vacations to the Grand Canyon. (Unless you live in Flagstaff.)

What happens when your first car is in the garage for repair, cannot you depend on your second car for any distance on a emergency. Besides, Prius cost $5-$10K less than Leaf. Eventually, they might produce a two battery electric car where one is being charged and other being used. Possibly using solar panels on top of the roof and wind turbine underneath the hood to charge the battery while you move. This might improve the range.

the laws of thermodynamics roughly state there is no free lunch. Neither the car nor the electric car have a future beyond a decade because both require multiple barrels of equivalent oil-energy in order to be produced. Peak Oil pretty much confirmed at this point.

You're not going to be driving a gas powered car in the future, if you drive at all. Only countries like Japan and others with vast grid connected vehicles and trains are going to be still mobile. But even then Japan has vast dependency on oil and may also suffer with no internal replacements. This is a real problem for everyone.