Why don't battery powered cars make sense? The tesla roadster mentioned above can drive 200 miles on a charge, wait 5 years that will certainly be higher if money is put into li-ion or li-ion polymers. An electric car is much simpler than an ICE vehicle, won't pollute nearly as much greenhouse gases even when charged with coal powered plants. The distribution system is already in place, and underutilized at night. With that being said, how many of the 50km a year are under 200 miles round trip? The largest obstacle with todays electrics is the battery, but if more money is put into R&D it will certainly get more capacity per volume and weight. Oh and Charles, why can't we recycle the batteries?