Every carmaker is trying to figure out how to make the leap before governments force it and Tesla and other start-ups lure away drivers.
Traditional automakers have struggled to sell electric cars. That could change as Ford, Volkswagen and others introduce new models.
As Tesla completes a factory in Berlin, Mercedes-Benz and Audi are introducing electric cars in bids to defend their dominance of the luxury market.
A scandal led to a $2.9 billion trust fund for states to put cleaner vehicles on their roads. A lot of the money has gone to more diesel vehicles.