Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) which are practical for the vast majority of daily use exist. Examples are the Mitsubishi iMieve & Nissan Leaf. For the small proportion of longer journeys, there is a workable solution: Tesla Model S. The only problem is that the shear number of cells required for a long range BEV is expensive. In every other respect, all of the problems of a long range BEV have been solved. And this is in no way a marginal solution: the Tesla Model S is the best car Consumer Reports has ever tested.
Essentially, the range problem is reduced to getting approximately the same amount of energy as in a Model S into a BEV for substantially less money. Elon Musk has said that the Model E mass market car available, "Hopefully 2016, but I would say no later than 2017," will have a battery cost 30 to 40% less per killowatt hour than the Model S.
Now a joint venture from Bosch, GS Yuasa, & Mitsubishi is making a major development effort:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090405_three-lithium-ion-giants-join-to-build-better-electric-car-battery / three large global companies Bosch GS Yuasa Mitsubishi announcement announce announced joint venture improve develop develper development next generation battery cell batteries cell electric vehicles vehicle EV double energy capacity electric cars mass market mass-market held back existing battery technology majority of journeys most drivers limit limitation limit limited battery technologies increase increased increasing capacity energy density greater capacity battery pack packs of equivalent size offer significant increase range smaller lighter pack Green Car Congress Charged EVs twice as efficient /
