I remember around 2001 when I heard Toyota was leasing the RAV4-EV electric car and thinking “finally, the world will be saved.” Somehow or other, soon after Chevron buys Texaco (who owned the patent on the NiMH batteries), these projects were cancelled. Some of the electric cars produced until now were being crushed and the ones still left have become expensive collector’s items on ebay. Most of these electric cars are still going strong after years using the same batteries. I guess Chevron figures they can still milk the high price gas situation a little more? Or can it be that oil based combustion engines bring more money from the selling of replacement parts and car manufactures don’t like the idea of selling cars that don’t break down as much?
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