Well, EV technology since the 90s has allowed comparable range and performance to gasoline cars. The only thing that hasn't been verified is costs, but only because Es haven't been mass produced. There are numerous studies that have projected the costs of manufacturing EVs, and found them comparable to gasoline cars.
The Solectria Sunrise achieved 373 miles per charge at highway speeds on NiMH batteries in 1996(
http://www.evadc.org/ev_faq.html) the Solectria Force achieved 249 miles on a charge with NiMH batteries in 1997(
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3650/is_199709/ai_n8780200), the GM EV1 giot between 140-160 miles per charge with NiMH batteries and achieved 225 miles driven very gently in a Tour De Sol(
http://www.ovonic.com/news_events/5_2_press_releases/20000525.htm),among others.
I'm sure you know the NiMH EV1 did 0-60 mph in under 8 seconds. It was governor limited to 80 mph, but with the governor removed, the car did over 180 mph on a test track(video:
http://www.evchargernews.com/CD-A/gm_ev1_web_site/gallery/gallery_footage1.htm).
This is all 1990s technology, 10 years old. These are viable range numbers for mass production and commercial sale. The performance was mostly a matter of the motor/inverter used, as the batteries provided more than adequate power. Thus slow cars like the Sunrise and force could have been fitted with the propulsion system used in the EV1 to achieve good performance.
What about cost?
The following study examines mass production costs of EVs. Of note is that a NiMH EV could have been mass produced for under $30k years ago:
http://www.ipd.anl.gov/anlpubs/2000/05/36138.pdf
Another study in 2003 found that the battery and drive system for a midsize Li Ion battery car that seats 5 adults, does 0-60 mph in 8 seconds, and has 300 miles range, with no special attention to efficiency or aerodynamics, would cost under $20k in mass production.
http://www.evuk.co.uk/EAVES_BEV_VS_FCV%20040703.pdf
So for roughly decade or so, electric cars have been viable insofar as performance, range, and production cost.
It's not only promising, but it can meet the basic criteria for being marketable.
Compared with other alternatives, EVs win out in reducing pollution, reducing costs to the consumer, and reducing overall energy use. One of the studies above compares the overall well to wheel efficiency of EVs versus hydrogen, for instance, and EVs are found to use 1/3 the energy overall. Further, EVs don't need no funky energy delivery system like hydrogen does, as they can be charged in your garage.
Natural gas is non-renewable, ethanol has questionable EROEI.
Electricity can be produced from renewable sources like wind turbines(> 25 EROEI) and solar panels(> 10 EROEI). Even with electricity from coal-fired electric power plants, electric cars are cleaner than gasoline cars by far(
http://www.evadc.org/pwrplnt.pdf).
Hybrids really aren't an alternative if they still use gasoline.
Hybrid Mode
