In the 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?, Director Chris Paine showed how auto manufacturers, the oil industry, government officials and consumers suppressed the development of all-electric, emission-free vehicles. Now, with gas prices skyrocketing and a greater focus on the perils of global warming, Paine may want to make a new documentary about the resurrection of electric vehicles. And he may want to visit China to see the future.

Instead of filling up gas tanks, commuters may in the near future simply plug their cars into the electrical grid. These all-electric cars produce zero emissions, cost pennies to operate and have fewer maintenance needs. The vehicles are manufactured in Tianjin, China, for Miles Electric Vehicles, based in Santa Monica, California. Beijing Review visited Major World automotive in New York City, the exclusive New York City dealer for Miles Electric.

Major World automotive has received about 10 orders for the Miles electric hatchback model since September 2007, said Bruce Bendell, President and CEO of the dealership and Major World Automotive Co., and a pick-up truck model is expected to be available late this year. Since those models run on nickel-plated batteries, instead of lithium-ion batteries, top speed is about 25 miles an hour. That means it's a good choice for zipping around college campuses, public parks and gardens, or inside warehouses, but it isn't street legal for many roads. The hatchback model retails for $17,900.

Instead, public consumers are eagerly waiting for the Miles XS500 model--a highway-speed, all-electric sedan that can run 80 miles per hour for 120 miles on a single charge. The sedans, set to hit the market in 2009, will run on the more powerful lithium-ion batteries, but more development is needed before they are ready for consumers. Despite this, the dealership gets "daily" calls from interested buyers. The sedan is expected to retail at about $32,000, making it the most affordable all-electric model on the market.

But the real cost savings would come after the initial purchase. With 90 percent few moving parts, the vehicles have lower maintenance fees. However, the batteries would need to be replaced every two to three years, at a cost of about $2,000. The electric hatchback and truck models have the equivalent fuel efficiency of 125 miles per gallon, Bendell said.

"More than 180 million electric vehicles can be powered currently without changing anything with the power grid," Bendell said, adding that Major World is working on a deal to install charging stations at public phone stands along New York City streets.

The dealership is also poised to take advantage of an October 2008 mandate requiring city government organizations to use vehicles that have a minimum gas efficiency rate of 25 miles per gallon. Hybrid models already on the market will fall just short of that threshold, so sales of electric models may see a big jump.

"Other manufacturers will come in to the market as well, and Americans will realize they can't keep buying big cars," Bendell said.

High fuel prices are also driving renewed interest in electric-powered vehicles, Bendell said. Crude oil price broke past $100 a barrel at the end of 2007 and gas prices are well over $3 per gallon. Americans are increasingly fed up with the country's heavy dependence on the oil industry. If restrictions on battery safety, price and power can be solved, electric cars may be the best solution for energy dependence, according to CBS News in a September 2007 article.

"I think it's a real grassroots revolution," CBS quoted Vijay Vaitheeswaran, a correspondent for The Economist and coauthor of Zoom: The Global Race to Fuel the Car of the Future.

"Could be the next big grassroots revolution in American politics. What I call the great awakening of America to climate change and oil addiction," he said.