I don't understand why people are getting so hot under the collar over this. Research is going to have to be done "now", for people in 100 years to benefit. That's how science works. I imagine Daimler or Rudolf diesel were told these new fangled machines will never replace the horse. Will electric aviation happen, of course it will. But it's going to take 50, 100 or maybe 200 years. It will take as long as it takes, and it starts with projects like this, and others that have been talked about. There will be no fleet of electric SAABS silently whizzing around in our life time, but we have to start somewhere.