Ahhh yes I have pictures!

I agree with you on the Tesla. I want one. I probably could not afford the car let alone the insurance.

I plan on buying my next car in 2010 or 2011. I would love a plug-in hybrid. The question is whether the small generator should be powered by a flex fuel (gas/E85) engine or a diesel set up to take biodiesel. I would love a solar panel roof.

Yes, GM messed up in jumping in on this a long time ago. Face it, they are a big corporation with all of the inertia that goes with it.

I am very encouraged by the research that is being sponsored at many universities including my old Michigan Tech. (mtu.edu)

SackDaPack,

GM's error wasn't in not getting into electrics. It was in getting out too soon.

In teh 70s and 80s they had a major electric research arm.

Perhaps the EPA was responsible for their exit:

1972

Victor Wouk, the "Godfather of the Hybrid," builds the first full-powered, full-size hybrid vehicle out of a 1972 Buick Skylark provided by General Motors (G.M.) for the 1970 Federal Clean Car Incentive Program. The Environmental Protection Association later kills the program in 1976.

and

1988

Roger Smith, CEO of G.M. , agrees to fund research efforts to build a practical consumer electric car. G.M. teams up with California's AeroVironment to design what would become the EV1, which one employee called "the world's most efficient production vehicle." Some electric vehicle enthusiasts have speculated that the EV1 was never undertaken as a serious commercial venture by the large automaker.

BTW, teh GM Volt is scheduled for 2010 introduction, a pure electric: http://www.leftlanenews.com/gm-targets-2010-for-chevrolet-volt-production.html

Yeah, they did get out too soon but hindsight is always 20/20. Think of all the management problems GM has had and the financial troubles. GM cars automatically cost several hundreds of dollars more than equivalent foreign cars because each car sold has to absorb part of the tremendous cost GM incurs in it's pension and healthcare plans. Healthcare costs alone have exploded and foreign manufacturers simply don't have this expense as overhead. Makes it tough to compete head to head.

But the real thing that killed the first electrics was battery life vs charge time and the battery costs. I found a cool article by 'Karl on Cars' where he talks a bit about the problems GM had with the EV1. His focus in the article is countering some of the points made in the movie 'Who Killed the Electric Car?'. It's interesting info. An excerpt:

Fact: There were 5,000 people who expressed interest in an EV1, but when GM called them back and explained that the car cost $299-plus a month to lease, went between 60 and 80 miles on a full charge, and took between 45 minutes and 15 hours to re-charge, very few would commit to leasing one (not too surprising, is it?). The film likes to quote a figure of 29 miles as the average American's daily driving needs, but that is a national figure and the EV1 was only sold in California and Arizona, primarily in Los Angeles. Anyone wanna guess what the average L.A. resident's daily driving need is? I'm betting it's higher than that national average.

As a comparison I actually ran the numbers on a 1997 EV1 against a 1997 Volkswagen Jetta Turbodiesel based on electricity and fuel charges at the time. Between lease charges and fuel/electricity charges, the EV1 cost at least $500 more a year to operate than the Jetta, and the Jetta could hold over twice as many people (five versus two), 50 percent more cargo (15 cubic feet versus 10) and would go almost 600 miles on a tank of fuel versus 60 miles on a charge. And when the Jetta did need filled it took 10 minutes -- not 45 minutes for a partial re-charge and 15 hours for a full re-charge. Ask me again why the electric car died.

http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/239

For comparison, the stats for the 2007 Tesla given in the Tesla Motors website:

How far can the Tesla Roadster drive between charges?

Actual range depends on driving style and conditions. During testing of prototypes cars, Tesla Motors has seen between 170 miles per charge for very spirited driving to 267 miles per charge for city driving that makes use of the Roadster's regenerative braking. Our most recent EPA driving cycle tests, conducted November 26-30, 2007, at an EPA-certified facility, resulted in the following numbers:

230 mi EPA city

211 mi EPA highway

221 mi EPA combined (city/highway)

Keep in mind that Tesla Motors is in the midst of final development and testing for the Tesla Roadster. While we are confident in our most recent numbers, the final results will be dependent on the car's specifications at series production. We will update our EPA range numbers once we have fully tested a production Roadster, expected in early 2008.

How fast is it?

Zero to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph. But this is not the whole story. Because it has no clutch pedal and a very wide, flat torque curve, the acceleration of the Tesla Roadster is much more available to enjoy: just step on the accelerator and go. No matter what speed you are driving, no matter what gear you are in, the acceleration is instantaneous.

http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/faqs.php

Basically, the early electrics died mostly because they were fairly impractical for daily use given the battery limitations. The new ones have overcome that problem and batteries continue to improve.

Yeah, I know what you mean SakdaPak. I'll have to wait for Santa to lay off the coal and make up for lost time before I see one of these babies too but a girl can dream. After all, I couldn't afford the Lamborghini either lol.

The Tesla

me either $98,000

but it sure is fast enough , 125mph or 211.65 kph (if my calulations are right), and goes far enough on a charge 220 miles or 354.05 kilometers, that would get me to Toronto and give me some drive around time, so except for long trips sounds great

and sleeeeeeeeeeek

I recently saw the film "Who killed the electric car" and regardless of why they got pulled off the road, or by who I thought it was a shame they seemed like a good car

Yeah just not practical for even commuters with a 60 to 80 mile range between charges then down for hours. That would have reeked. The people that managed to get one still loved em though according to that edmonds article I mentioned above.

How's this for a cool video:

Drag race...electric car vs Ferrari and vs Porsche

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7352118104883452737