POLL: Do electric cars have a long road to mainstream status?

ZAP CEO Steve Schneider

Respond to our poll about the near-term success of electric cars.  The San Francisco Chronicle published an article on May 25, 2010, in which ZAP CEO Steve Schneider put forth this opinion:

GM added the onboard charging engine to allay “range anxiety,” to use the industry term for buyers’ concerns of running out of battery power during a trip.

Because of such worries, electric vehicles may be most practical for now in situations where drivers follow fixed routes, like delivery trucks and taxis, said Steve Schneider, chief executive of Zap, an electric car company based in Santa Rosa.

“The biggest target market for all automakers is the consumer market, but I don’t think the technology is mature enough for that,” said Schneider, who is still focused on fixed-route niches.

— Read more at SFGate.com