I disagree wiyth the line of thought that this won't drive us from fossil fuels. I think what this will do is advance it significantly because a large part of current society in America was alive to feel the effects of the "energy crisis" of the 70s.

If anything it will re-open those fears (since we seem to have forgotten the lesson) and force a race to the next fuel. First person to crack it gets a nice parting gift of fame and fortune for the next 60+ years.

I am not so certain it will be electric since the batteries are the least environmentally sound idea ever picked. seriously have you seen the strip mining used to create the batteries? add that to the fact that batteries have a charge life...sooo what happens to the batteries? Yes you can recycle them but the waste that produces is toxic and again poses a new round of questions. I am no enviro-nazi by any stretch of the imagination but I am also a realist about the damage we can do.