1256789245 http://news.santacruz.com/eric-johnson Santa Cruz News: Local news and information for Santa Cruz CA constantly updated. en eric@boulevards.com Copyright 2009 2009-10-28T11:10:24+00:00 /2009/10/28/power_play /2009/10/28/power_play The electric car—quiet, fast and clean—has captured some media attention since the release of the sleek Tesla Roadster 18 months ago.  But it’s not a new idea. Some of the first cars ever built, going back to the 19th century, were battery-powered. And the contemporary push to break away from the internal combustion engine dates back more than 40 years. News 2009-10-28T11:10:24+00:00