Peter Valdes-Dapena for CNN Money:  In 2018, electric cars will finally turn the corner from curious niche product to become a viable option for America's families. Next year will mark a turning point in the ultimate electrification of America's roads.

Electric cars will still only make up just 1.5% of all U.S. auto sales according Navigant Research. But, for EVs, the really important numbers to watch are price, driving range and availability.

Americans will finally be able to buy reasonably affordable and widely available electric cars that can hold enough power to breeze through their daily routines with no worries. Cars like the Chevrolet Bolt EV, the redesigned Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Model 3 will begin to strip away the "trust issue," as Kelley Blue Book analyst Rebecca Lindland terms it.

Electric cars are far simpler, mechanically, than internal combustion cars and should be more reliable. But it will take time for people to realize that they aren't going to freeze up like their smart phones do, she said. Seeing more electric cars on the road in large numbers will help ease those fears.  Full Article: