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RE: Making the Middle East Less Important
I guess it depends from where you're coming. In my shopping for an electric vehicle, I never wanted something that could become the only car in the family - only as a commuter/short-tripper that would be in addition to our Honda Accord. From that perspective, the 80 mile range, 1-2 person capacity, and other limitations don't seem so bad - especially when you compare them to the EV current competition.
I think that if the right incentives were offered, I would definitely buy an EV commuter for under $20k. I don't think the incentives would have to be extravagant, either. If the state would forgo sales tax and if the city would allow free parking, free access to the HOV lanes, and free tolls, that would be about all it would take. (Free tolls alone would probably save me 5-10 minutes a day on my commute.) The feds would also step in with income tax breaks as a bonus, no doubt.
Another thing that I think could help EVs catch on is the possibility for customization. I can't imagine it being very difficult to upgrade the battery when the time comes for replacement after 50k-80k miles. I also think it would appeal to buyers of the highly customizable Scions and Honda Civics. The readily available electric outlet would also no doubt lead to all kinds of setups inside the vehicle - without the battery hookups needed in ICE vehicles.
Also, from an economical perspective, replacing even 50% of the commuting vehicles only would be a huge step in reducing (if not completely removing) dependence on foreign oil. (I feel an article coming on ... "Is an Electric Vehicle Worth It?" It might have to wait until a couple of them are readily available, though.)
RE: Making the Middle East Less Important
Even the designer admits to the limitations of the vehicle (I can't remember where I heard it), and they see this as one of the two vehicles in a two car family. One for commuting to work, and the other for vacations, road trips, etc.
That's pretty much the combination I've had for the past 14 years. One minimalist, small, cheap car to get me back and forth to work at the lowest possible cost of ownership, and the other for road trips, vacations, going to Home Depot, getting groceries for the family (without having to go multiple times per week or make lots of flips).
So yeah, if you are single, or plan on having just one car, maybe this isn't the one "end-all-be-all" jack of all trades car for you, but if you have more than one car and can afford to specialize just a little, I think this has fantastic promise.
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RE: Making the Middle East Less Important
Great range, power and features all for a projected price under $20,000
The Tango seems like an interesting concept, but I disagree with your characterization of it. From the link you provided, it appears to have a max range of only 80 miles (on standard batteries, 150 mi. on "high-tech" batteries [presumably not included]) between charges. For longer ranges, a 10-minute charge every 50 miles would be required. For max battery life, the site recommends charging the battery every 20-24 miles. As for features, it seems to be equipped with fairly quality components for a car that small, but it only holds 2 people, and the legroom is pretty limited - the passenger has to straddle the driver's seat. Even when trading the passenger for cargo, the storage space is tight, with a max capacity of about 7 small boxes. Also, the trim levels are widely separated by price - the $20K figure is for the base model, the mid-level model jumps to $40K, and the top-end model comes in at a staggering $108K(!).
I agree that electric cars are the "wave of the future," so to speak, but I don't think the technology has caught up to the demand. Speaking for myself, if I'm going to spend $20,000 or more on a car, it had better have at least a little bit of versatility. I understand that the Tango is being marketed as strictly a commuter vehicle, but that is really all it can do. I need a car that can not only take me to and from work, but also carry 2-4 passengers occasionally, transport a reasonable amount of cargo from Safeway or Home Depot, and from time to time, drive more than 80 miles before recharging/refueling. I would venture to say that a sizeable majority of the car-buying public would also desire similar features in a $20K+ car.
Battery technology has a long way to go before being able to compete with gas-powered cars in range and cost. Hybrids are a start, but even they aren't quite there yet.
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