Look at this electric car break through!  A 5 minute recharge to 90% battery capacity and a 75 mile range, soon to be extended to 124 miles.

http://amazngdrx.myblogsite.com/blog/_archives/2005/8/24/1165553.html

This is definitely not a glorified golf cart, although it won't have air conditioning. Note that they will use the same kind of motor in each wheel that I put on my bike (with a more sophisticated controller). Also note on the following site that they acknowledge that the battery is the key (as you already know). You might also click on the video that shows how they plan to use this motor in cars. I vividly recall a fold out from a popular mechanics magazine from 1976 that has a see-through picture of a car designed just like this. It has been waiting for computer chips and advanced batteries.

We are getting there. I wish we could set a ground rule that whatever we come up with cannot exacerbate our present extinction rate.

http://www.greenspeed.us/wavecrest_electric_motor.htm

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

I'm more of a Human Power fan myself.  I think we overstate the need for cars (be they hybrid, bio-d, or "regular") and therefore start our train of thought from the automobile and think we can "scale down" to an electric vehicle.  
We have built our cities and our minds around the wrong model.  We should start on the pedestrian model and then move way up to human powered vehicles and only when absolutely necessary an assisted motor of some kind.
Here is a good example: http://cleverchimp.com/

Start out with a  cargo bike to do you're general shopping, traveling, dropping the kids off to school, etc.  then if you need to carry those hay bales home for a cobb work home project and the closest farm is 10 miles away then load up the cleverchimp assist, head to the farm, load up the hay, and come back home...

The car, in any form, is not the answer.
The bike, in most forms, is.
transpodiversity- lot's of different human powered vehicles, with some mass transit thrown in for good measure.

Also check out what IS being done with Human Power: http://www.pedalexpress.com

"Another electric option"

Well an electric plugin motorcycle of course.

With human power assist...

The problem with bicycles and motorcycles is safety. So a combination with a plugin electric drivetrain plus a generator powered by arms and legs of the rider(s) that encloses them in a kevlar epoxy shell with roll cage would be a nice combination.

And for more carrying space?  An expandable wheel base.  The body telescops out to carry an extra passenger, gear, groceries.

For hay bales or building materials?  A community electric hybrid truck borrowed from your local green energy coop.

Green energy cooperative?  Check this thought experiment in prgress...

http://amazngdrx.myblogsite.com/blog/_archives/2005/8/25/1168316.html