You can't predict the future based on the past. It's like saying, when cars appeared, that there will be horses and cars on the road for a while because it's been like that recently. EV are new to this world.
Sorry but the Baker electric show up first in 2009 with a range of about 40 EV miles, DC charging also
Did any of those toyota sales NOT burn gasoline? thought so. paradigm shifting and i don't see toyota anywhere but in the rearview mirror.
Since when is second place a bad thing? Think about the audience. The low-hanging fruit is all that's getting picked right now. Later when the challenge arrives to reach the harder stuff, Toyota will be well positioned.
Rearview mirror, who is going to run out of juice in a little traffic jam? Funny thing is; finman's LEAF does not even hold a gallon of gas equivalent in a Prius! krousdb; #48
Certainly it never was a necessity to improve electrical storage since 1859 until the last 50 years. Newer technologies probably implemented with batteries used for orbital satellites and or space probes. And also submarines Beyond that, electrical forklift used LARGE size of the same chemistry.
In 1899 the typical car traveled about 10mph and weighed far less than today's. I don't think cheap gas is going to kill electric cars this time around. Convenience may limit the market, but safety will also increase it.
With Europeans paying much higher per liter of fuel then we do in the US per gallon, it seems that in 2015 only 3,500 Tesla were sold. Denmark and Sweden accounting for most of the sales. Now with a new tax on EV and Hybrid cars these numbers will be even lower. Tesla has a long road ahead to be profitable.
