It should be noted that the environmental impact wasn't really known and the energy potential of fuels still is unmatched. From an engineering perspective with

It should be noted that the environmental impact wasn't really known and the energy potential of fuels still is unmatched. From an engineering perspective with the information available at that time, the decision was probably "correct". Batteries were something like a necessary evil. For example to propel uboats because of the lack of oxygen. Otherwise the energy density and triviality of re-fuel-ing easily wins out.