Electric cars: positives and negatives - Introduction

Let's fast forward four or five years and imagine you're shopping for an urban runabout. There's a good chance you'll be asking the salesman about recharge times and range rather than miles per gallon and diesel versus petrol. Clean, quiet electric cars are coming.

Scientists and legislators reckon world demand for oil will rise by 66% in the next 10 years and that heavy commercial transport will consume an increasing share of it: cue a big rise in the price of petrol and diesel.

Next, throw in pressure from politicians to cut the tailpipe emissions of private cars, and a switch to electric propulsion, particularly for short journeys in towns and cities, is inevitable.