Originally Posted by chucko58

Electric cars don't really solve the problem of fossil fuel dependence until the utilities switch away from fossil fuels. They help the electric utilities flatten out the demand curve if they're charged at night. That's all. They still need tires, upholstery, dashboards, etc. that are made from petrochemicals. Even today's best batteries don't store very much energy per unit mass, so battery vehicles are heavier than the equivalent internal combustion vehicles, and hybrids are heavier still. More mass means less efficiency.

IMHO the greener-than-thous amongst the electric car fans are deluding themselves. They don't solve any ecological problems that I can see. And they sure don't reduce traffic congestion.