McClatchy Washington Bureau

A shot in what could be a revolution in automotive transportation was fired in South Florida last week, but you had to really strain to hear it.

The Nissan Leaf, the first all-electric car built by a major automaker for the mass market, starts up exactly like a computer. You push a button. You hear some bing-bong music, then nothing. If not for dash lights, you wouldn't know it was even on.

The Leaf may be spooky quiet but Nissan, as well as environmentalists and other proponents of electric cars, are hoping it makes one very loud splash with consumers and an automobile industry that is finally showing signs of shaking its century-plus-long fossil fuel addiction.

Read the full story at miamihearld.com.