I understand your point on a pure electric vehicle but do you understand the concept of a hybrid vehicle. It drives just fine on motor fuel. The electric drive allows the engine to run at maximum effieciency while running and shut off when not needed. When well implemented, the only effect it would have on your drive is to make it less expensive and your fuel breaks less frequent.
BTW, the freight trains crossing the country every day are Deisel-electric hybrids.
As for the rail industry...that is half my income. My project this year includes a GM Electromotive locomotive outfitted with a new FIRE computer, NY airbrake ECP brake system and lots of new sensors and actuators on the other cars to permit remote control of angle cocks, cut levers, hand brakes and cushion lockout devices.
The electric drive allows the engine to run at maximum effieciency while running and shut off when not needed. When well implemented, the only effect it would have on your drive is to make it less expensive and your fuel breaks less frequent.
Big misconception. At freeway speeds the hybrid has the gasoline engine running full time. It only goes electric under about 25 MPH. Just ask the folks on the HOV lanes in San Diego what they think of the jackasses in hybrids driving 25 MPH on the HOV lanes to save money on fuel. It happens and it is dangerous. There have also been reports of software failures that caused hybrids to simply shutdown when running at freeway speeds. Not good if you are traversing the desert.
As previously pointed out, the fuel savings in current hybrids do not ever repay the higher acquisition cost. What we don't know yet is the total cost of ownership. When the owner is ready to retire the hybrid, is there going to be a big fee assessed to deal with the battery? That widens the economic gap further between pure gasoline and hybrid designs.
...except without the batteries.