Charged Up

What ever happened to the electric car? Whether it was phased out by hybrids or pushed out of the market by a big auto conspiracy is up for debate. However, we do know that Nissan Motor Co. is planning on releasing a new generation of electronic vehicles in 2012.

The new fleet will be able to travel further than ever before on just one charge. While earlier versions of the vehicles were only able to travel about 62 miles after one electronic fill-up, new lithium battery technology will allow them to go close to 200 miles. That means that drivers will be able to use the cars for more than just gettin' around town.

A Nissan company representative told the Wall Street Journal that production for the new batteries will begin in 2009 and the company hopes to initially produce 13,000 units annually. Nissan also hopes to raise that number to 65,000 in the near future. Are you in the market for an alternative-fuel vehicle?

If so, do you think you will wait to see what kind of new electric technology debuts in the next couple of years, or are you ready to climb on board the eco train right now? [Wall Street Journal]