According to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, every Chevrolet Volt sold costs taxpayers up to $250,000. The analysis examines the various subsidies to companies at different points in production, but does not include the fact that 26% of General Motors is still owned by the federal government. With the amount of Volts sold to date, American taxpayers have doled out as much as $3 billion in subsidies for the car.
http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16192
Not to mention that the very first electric cars had similar range to the Chevy Volt. Many of the first electric cars at the turn of the century had 30-50 mile ranges.
A real innovation, this Chevy Volt.
libertariat 
Electric cars will work, oil just hasn’t gotten scarce enough to allow market forces to bring them about. This is more a lesson in why subsidies don’t work. The argument, I suppose, is that the subsidies are required to speed the innovation required to address the negative externalities associated with carbon emission and energy dependence. Then again, it could just be a wealth transfer from taxpayers to the automotive industry.
Perhaps I should amend it to say “Electric cars don’t work, yet.” I’m sure technology will get there someday, but in my findings who future for electric cars looks dim. Again, the range of electric cars hasn’t improved much in 100+ years.
I agree with your latter sentiments. I believe it is wholly immoral to take wealth from one sector of the economy and move it to another except in fulfilling the proper function of government. Building electric cars or subsidizing production of anything is not a proper function of the federal government.