Our family has been driving alternative fuelled cars since 1996. First there was the 1997 EV1 and from March of 1997, a 1993 converted-when-new Ford Escort until 2002. In 1999 we got the 2nd generation of EV1 with NiMH batteries. After GM forcibly took our beloved EV1 by refusing to renew the lease, we acquired a Toyota RAV4-EV which we still have. In 2004 we added the Prius. Finally because even with the Prius the gas prices were getting out of hand we found a very low mileage Chevy S10e electric pickup. Unfortunately we have had about $1500 worth or battery issues with that vehicle and unless I am able to sell it first I will have to modify the battery rack to accept the unobtainium OEM cells....or maybe Panasonic will break down and make up some new ones for us.
The RAV4 has OEM NiMH batteries which are good for about 100 miles of range but the S-10e has only old lead-acid cells which at best yield about 40 miles of range. The truck CAN be converted to NiMH but the only source of that conversion has decided that mine is not one he wishes to convert. For 95% of my driving a new set of lead cells would do just fine. For longer runs there are the RAV and the Prius depending on the distance.
BTW our Prius gets up to 60 mpg; always more than 50 but untrue to the published ratings the highway mileage almost always exceeds city mileage. Tire pressure and anticipatory driving make a HUGE amount of difference in gas mileage. The same goes for the electrics but in their cases freeway driving actually decreases the battery performance because unlike the EV1 which had a coefficient of drag of about .16 compared to .34 on the machines we have now. So unlike the EV1 the trucks are akin to pushing a barndoor broadside down the highway.
We have had no bad experiences with any of the alternatively fuelled vehicles but I have to candidly admit that parts for the S-10e are either difficult or impossible to obtain. So if it breaks it might be sitting for a long, long time before it's repaired. So far, so good though.
When the opportunity permits I will replace the 10e with a Phoenix SUT which has a 150 mile range and a very short charging time compared to the range/charge ratio of either the RAV or the EV1s. In addition the Phoenix plugs into any 220 drier outlet. The other battery powered vehicles require 80+ pounds external devices.
Would you consider buying a hybrid or alternative-fuel car?
-- Yes (Which one?)
-- No (Why not?)
-- Maybe someday (What's holding you back now?)
-- I already own a hybrid or alternative-fuel car (Which one, and what do you think of it?)

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