Andrew
I know you're a pretty engineering savvy dude, but I have to take exception
to your statement that electric technology in cars only shifts the pollution to
power plants. That's a misconception that opponents of the technology,
including automakers, spread with a great deal of success, and it's only partially
true. Sure there are increased emissions, at a power plant from charging up an
EV, but electric motors are so, so, so much more efficient than internal
combustion engines (ICE's) that there are considerably less end result -- ie power
plant emissions per car than with every car running an ICE. I've written about
EV's at some length for the NYTimes, and if my memory serves, when you figure
up the cost per mile of gasoline vs electric, drivers of EV's pay something
on the order of the equivalent of 45 cents per gallon. But that still doesn't
necessarily tell you anything about the actual efficiency of the motor -- a
typical electric motor is up to 85 percent efficient, and generally no less than
50. An excellent gas motor struggles to find 30 percent efficiency as most of
its energy goes up in the air or thru the radiator as heat. Electric motors
generate way, way less heat and 100 percent torque from zero to max RPMs.   With
regards to diesel or EV's, if you're driving with biodiesel or solar or wind
power, you're not generating any excess greenhouse gasses. The newest common
rail diesels are also remarkably clean.   That's not to say that I necessarily
think VW is moving in the right direction domestically.
CD!