Tesla Motors (TSLA -3.40%) has had great success with its battery-electric Model S luxury sedan. But the big global automakers -- the folks who are supposed to know all about making cars -- haven't managed to do a whole lot with the technology yet. What's the deal?

In this video, Fool.com contributor John Rosevear looks at the latest sales numbers for the "other" battery-electric cars -- and at what the big guys have done to try to get their slow sales to start taking off.