Phoenix Motorcars is developing a $47,000 electric pickup truck that can be recharged in a regular household socket for a few hours after driving 100 miles or so.

Reader Rich Lakey had questions about our excerpt of the new book The Plot to Save the Planet . Answers are from author Brian Dumaine.

Q. If a car goes 100 miles on a four-hour charge, do the batteries wear like other batteries? Do you get a little less range with every charge?

A. The new-generation lithium ion batteries about to hit the market have, in testing, held most of their charge for 100,000 miles or more. Chances are your car would break down before your battery would.



NEXT: Demands on the power grid

