The article discusses progress in developing batteries and fuel cells for electric vehicles. It looks at the current status of battery systems and how they meet performance criteria set by the US Advanced Battery Consortium for zero-emission vehicles in California. The analysis shows that no single battery system meets all criteria, so using lead/acid technology in the short term is suggested. Fuel cells are seen as the ultimate power source for electric vehicles, but a hybrid system combining a high-power lead/acid battery with a solid polymer fuel cell may be more effective.