Nonetheless, electrics, plug-in hybrids and yes, even hydrogen cars deserve open-mindedness, especially when they're meeting with such resistance at the government and auto-industry levels.
The ultraswank coupe, revealed Monday during the Volkswagen Group's press preview, was something of a tangent for the parent brand, which was focused on electrics and plug-in hybrids.
On the other hand, electrics and plug-ins will become cleaner without technology changes as coal-burning power plants are replaced with natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind or solar facilities.
So keep a lookout at the end of the 2012 model year: there may be a manufacturer or two that needs to push its electric-powered sales over the 25,000 mark and may be willing to take a loss on the last few 2012 electrics and plug-in hybrids to get there.
Automakers get more credits for fuel cell cars than most battery electrics or plug-in hybrids.
To meet the mandates, carmakers calibrate how many electrics and plug-in hybrids they must sell, and set prices accordingly.
As the diesel drama continues, Volkswagen is suddenly a great champion of electrified cars, pledging that a quarter of its sales will consist of electrics and plug-in hybrids by 2025.
In the electric car category, which includes all-electrics and plug-in hybrids, the Volt led with a residual value of 30 percent.
And electrics, hybrids and plug-in hybrids will, of course, become increasingly prevalent as hybrid and battery technology advances.
Registrations consisted of 6,697 pure electrics and 7,821 plug-in hybrids.
You may have noticed that people who drive plug in electrics can't help smiling about it.
