I can't help thinking that the era of the electric car has threatened to arrive a couple of times in the last couple of decades without actually doing so.

A few years ago, when I worked for Gravesham Borough Council in Kent, one of my early tasks was to promote the electric van that had been introduced to the fleet to carry out car parking inspections.

The vehicle itself (a Peugeot Partner van) was a joy to drive and proved to be very popular with employees and members of the public alike.

Despite the laudable attempt by the council to use its influence to help promote the concept of electric vehicles by introducing one to the fleet that was outwardly similar to other fossil-fuelled versions, the idea never caught on.

This particular vehicle really served only as a curiosity and I understand that it was retired some years ago.

The experience of most other operators of electric vehicles was probably similar, since many manufacturers of such vehicles stopped production four to five years ago and most of the vehicles were recalled under their lease agreements.

Despite these early setbacks, the idea of an electrically-powered vehicle is still attractive if the main drawbacks of pricing and range can be sorted out.

Some city cars have been produced with moderate success over the past few years, and with the continued volatility in oil prices, manufacturers have once again shown an interest in producing electric variants of existing production vehicles.

While the cash incentive being offered by the government to help people purchase such vehicles is seen by many to be welcome, there are a few cautionary comments being made by industry bodies and pressure groups.

Many production electric vehicles will not be ready until 2011 at the earliest.

It should also be noted that carbon emissions will almost certainly be indirectly produced by electric vehicles, but at the power station producing the electricity rather than the car itself.


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