Electricity costs one-third what gasoline costs on a per-mile bases. Just think what a $25k electric car would do to the automotive market. If I was running a multi-billion dollar oil company, I would be throwing money left and right at any organization that would help instill fear, uncertainty, and doubt into the public’s perception of electric cars.
Just look at what they did with the Volt. The only two fires that have ever occurred were the result of crash tests and they both happened over a week after the test. Yet certain “conservative” news outlets have made it their crusade to convince people that they should be scared of driving a Volt.
I think the idea of running a car on American electricity, whether it comes from coal, natural gas, nuclear, whatever, is an extraordinarily good idea. Let's cut ourselves off from all the geopolitics associated with oil. I think any real conservative would see this as a good idea.
Unfortunately, there is way too much oil money poured into political campaigns and conservative think-tanks for anything but electric car bashing to result.
Do it without tax-dollar subsidies.
If your glorified golf-carts were as wonderful as you claim private investors would make it happen.