In response to GM's Volt and Nissan's all-electric cars, both of which are due out this year, Toyota has jumped into the mix and is promising a fully electric option by 2012. The "race" for zero emissions vehicles is apparently on - finally. Although all automobile manufacturers are still careful to point to the limitations in current battery technology that is required to power all electric vehicles.

With GM, Nissan and now Toyota announcing all-electric vehicles, the paradigm shift may finally be upon us. The next step will be increasing the size of the all-electrics and then improving on the batter technology to improve vehicle performance, range and safety. All of this seems reasonably easy to achieve, given the technology that is available already and the resources required to advance that technology.

Toyota remains committed to its hybrid vehicles, having already established itself as the undisputed leader with its Prius. The all-electric playing field has yet to be established and people are going to have to adjust to the idea that their car no longer runs on gas. As more people embrace the concept and the bugs are worked out of the vehicles, it would seem that many things will change as a result.

But all of that remains to be seen as automobile manufacturers are struggling to create a model in which they can still see the types of profits and consumer control that they have enjoyed for most of the last century.