Lithium-ion hybrids to market: Mercedes wins

James R. Healey at USA Today reports:

"Low-cost, long-life lithium batteries are seen as essential for accelerated development of alternative-power vehicles, ranging from the now-familiar gasoline-electric hybrids that double normal fuel economy to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles that use no petroleum.

As automakers compete to make such models more practical, using their own interpretations of Mercedes' backpack-size lithium battery, costs should drop. That would mean you might be able, sooner and cheaper than expected, to buy a car that gets extraordinary mileage, and perhaps directly uses no gasoline at all."

So there might be a bright future for the smart car after all (in fact, downsizing is the new upsizing!)

Read the full USA Today article here.