However I feel that we're getting closer to the solution. Attempts are being made more and more lately, it's only a matter of time before the most cost efficient and environmentally friendly solution comes up.
Let's be honest here, with our current climate shift, a somewhat unstable economy, and a power struggle (war) for oil in the middle east, time is not on our side.
The biggest mistake committed was the lack of government involvement. Laws regarding fuel consumption should have been imposed years ago, well before Al Gore and the likes started making documentaries and such. This would have propelled research and development and our population, correction, culture, would be much more welcoming to these cars (let's face it, for some reason gas guzzlers appear much cooler for what ever reason).
We are currently at a grave disadvantage: diesel cars are extremely unpopular (in North American anyways), the evolution of regular fuel cars has probably peaked and I'd be surprised to see any advancements in fuel consumption, and our hybrids and electric vehicles are unpopular, ugly (for most), and lack maturity and development.
Sorry didn't mean to rant. In a nutshell, I think the volt will fail, same as the ev1.