Finland applies collective effort to electric cars
HELSINKI — "eCars — Now!" is a Finnish Internet community seeking to apply the collective approach taken by online collaborators like the authors of Wikipedia to start converting used gasoline-fueled cars to electric ones, with the first roll-out due this year.
The Finnish-language forum says it is first of its kind in the world, and wants to provide an alternative to what its members perceive as foot-dragging in the oil and auto industries.
The group is working in the tradition of 'open source' projects laid down by information technology — like the Linux computer operating system, which was started by a Finn and challenged Microsoft's dominance.
"If we succeed very well, it will create similar projects across the world with whom we can share what we know," said project participant Jukka Jarvinen, adding that a similar scheme is launching in Denmark.
"We're hoping to create a global movement."
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2008-07-23-e-car_N.htm?csp=tech

This has possibilities for Finland. It is a small country with most of its population in the south. Electric works for short hauls.

And importantly, you need to recharge the batteries. Finland gets 27% of its electric power from nuclear plants. Another plant will be on line in a few years and there is yet another on the drawing boards. Like a lot of countries in Europe it is pinning its hopes on getting off oil by using nuclear, the only ready alternative today. Maybe the US will smarten up someday.