1998 - Electric vehicle sales in the US are expected to reach 110,000 units, valued at $3.3 billion

10 years later and this same article could be posted today, just toss-in a mention of the Volt and Tesla.

Electric vehicle sales in the US are expected to reach 110,000 units, valued at $3.3 billion, in the year 2003, based primarily on California's zero emission vehicle sales mandate. Automotive > Automotive Sector Performance from AllBusin: "Electric vehicle sales in the US are expected to reach 110,000 units, valued at $3.3 billion, in the year 2003, based primarily on California's zero emission vehicle sales mandate. However, the outlook for the electric vehicle industry remains tenuous. Despite intense marketing programs, sales have been tepid at best, ranging in the hundreds rather than the thousands anticipated just a few years ago. Electric vehicles are hampered by performance problems, a limited driving range and high costs. Nevertheless, while sales have been minimal, the electric vehicle industry will continue to spend significantly on research and development, with expenditures forecast to surpass $1 billion by the turn of the century. These and other trends are presented in Electric Vehicles, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industrial market research firm."