The whole electric vehicle development industry is being carefuly controled and directed by governments.
Electric vehicles are not alternate energy vehicles, they are simply a different method of applying any energy source to vehicle traction.
The recent government grant strucures and competitions for them are a method of massaging public opinion nothing more at present.
Paying lip service to the World CO2 issue is all it is.
Unfortunately this has created a large number of companies and incentives, whos sole purpose is to build EVs and hoover up grants and investments. There are little if any radicaly new ideas in the technology used and the whole thing achieves a diluting of the advances in electric traction that should be happening.
Until there is a government led drive to improve the electric distribution grid and establish a workable coverage of re-charge sites throughout this (UK) and other countries, the whole EV industry will remain actively held back by the fossil fuel and ic vested interest.
It is a bit like the Romans being held back by the stone age.