Will Zero-Emitting Cars Go Mainstream?

           Spending time at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last week, I was impressed by the variety of smart looking all-electric vehicles. Just a few years ago, there were only a handful. Now, in addition to the Volt and LEAF, six electric vehicles hit the market last year, while four more are due this year. Some, like BMW’s zippy i3 and Tesla’s Model X, which has gull wing doors that open to the sky, are downright dazzling and could lure more consumers. EVs still have their limitations. The sticker price is higher than many consumers can swallow and EVs require regular charging of the battery. So far, Americans haven’t embraced them in large numbers, as I explain in this story I wrote for The Fiscal Times. But it will be interesting to watch and see, as more of these vehicles hit the road and gas prices remain high, whether these zero-emitting cars pick up momentum.