I'm with you Frenchie! Vive la "auld alliance"! *
Have to admit I'm not surprised at the number of forward thinking types in your homeland though - Citroen are one of the most innovative manufacturers in the world (think of the DS). And you guys have had electric Saxos and 5% biodiesel nationally for ages. Nothing like that over here!
Come to think of it, that reminds me that the closest thing to a plugin hybrid yet was meant to come out this year from Citroen - the Xsara Dynactive with a 10km all electric range (IIRC) with the engine switched off for urban zones at the flick of a switch. Citroen also had a fairly advanced prototype plug-in hybrid (the Dynavolt
http://www.benerridge.freeserve.co.uk/dynavolt.htm) and Renault are (allegedly) seriously considering testing the market with a plugin hybrid version of the Kangoo delivery van with a 20km or so electric range. Can't imagine any of the American companies being this advanced in this direction. :wink:
As for your hydrogen fans over there, I have to admit I too was once in their camp. The physicist and the romantic in me really want hydrogen to work. :? But, it was after I looked at the sums for myself and realised that for 1kWhr of primary electricity a current hydrogen car can only go 0.8 miles compared to the 4 miles of a current battery car, and that PEM fuel cells are only 50% efficient (vs 46% for the vastly cheaper latest TDi engines!), that I realised plugin hybrids are by far the most cost-effective and ecologically sound way forward.
Ah well. They'll catch up sooner or later! 8)
(* Scots for "Let's all gang up against the English")[/url]