Followers of this blog will be well-attuned to the fact that I see a lot more potential in plug-in hybrids over any other technology like electric or fuel cell vehicles in the years to come. I think I'm definitely correct about fuel cell vehicles - no chance of an imminent price breakthrough there. What I hadn't anticipated though was the speed of development in electric vehicles - both in performance and critically, looks.

So just take a peek at this car - The Lightning, due to hit the marketplace in 2008.

Beauty aside, the staggering breakthrough about this car is with these nanosafe batteries, which can 80% recharge in 1 minute and can achieve 15,000 deep charge / discharge cycles. That compares to an overnight 6 hour charge for lithium ion or nickel-metal hydride batteries or maybe 1000 cycles. This last point is very important - my laptop lithium-based batteries tend to last all of one year before I have to buy a replacement. This new technology would take the battery's lifetime beyond that of it's respective accompanying technology.

It is not inconceivable that this technology and the looks of the Lightning, have the potential to make the Tesla look out of date, very fast. So Tesla Motors must be pleased to have sold so many units ahead of production. Having said that, the Lightning will come in at three times the price of the Tesla - about $300,000 a pop.

But it's not just snazzy sports cars where we are seeing progress. Today I learned of an electric delivery van, shortly to be deployed on the streets of London, which looks pretty conventional, the Smith Edison.

I've often thought the greatest failing of alternative energy cars - from a consumer point of view - was the way they look - see my post on another website here. Well today, manufacturers are clearly starting to address that.

Anyway, let's not get too excited - none of these vehicles are quite yet on the road.