In some parts of the country electric cars are getting to be mainstream. Just yesterday I saw both a Leaf and a Tesla on the way to work here in Seattle. In fact it's getting to be a rare day when I don't see someone driving an electric car.

for most of the driving most americans do, the technology is here.

They don't mandate that many of them, and nobody is required to buy them. A friend of mine has a short commute, solar panels on his house and a Leaf. It works fine, he doesn't burn gas, and Nissan learned something.