If you've seen the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car" you'll already know that General Motors introduced the EV1 as a lease vehicle only to recall it and crush it because of a dispute with the California Air Resources Board.

The past electric cars have had limited range and have taken hours to recharge. Future electric cars, however, may change all of this. Tesla Motors, Zap and Phoenix Motorcars are developing electric vehicles that address some of these shortcomings.

Of particular note are the electric sport utility trucks being tested by Phoenix Motorcars that reportedly only take 10 minutes to recharge and have a range of over 200 miles per charge. Future electric cars most likely will carry lithium-ion phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries that are now becoming popular in other countries.

The LiFePO4 batteries are rechargeable and powerful and already being used in electric bikes and scooters. Electric cars will most likely adopt this technology in the future.

Another technology for future electric cars that is likely is the increased use of supercapacitors and ultracapacitors for storing and delivering electrical charge. Many of these batteries are currently being used in conjunction with hybrid car prototypes, so expect to see these in the electric car future markets as well.

If the developers of future electric cars can create vehicles with a range of 300 miles per charge, a charging time of 5 - 10 minutes and a high degree of safety in operating the vehicles, the market is wide open for them. Contrary to faulty initial market research, customers have shown a willingness to plug in their vehicles during the night and off-peak hours if it will mean saving dollars at the gasoline pumps.

Article key :  Future Electric Cars, Future Electric, Electric Cars, 2010