Electric Vehicles (EV) Press
2011 is a very exciting year because the first two mainstream electric vehicles, the Nissan Leaf & Chevrolet Volt, are on track for releases. Envirotron highly recommends both vehicles but we have included specs and information on each to help readers make a more informed decision on which electric vehicle is right for them.
Nissan Leaf
Sticker Price: $32,780
Price After $7,500 Tax Credit Rebate: $25,280
Battery Warranty: 8 years or 100,000 miles
Battery Life Per Charge: 100 miles
Range Extending Gas Engine: None
The Nissan Leaf is unique in that it is a purely electric car that runs on battery alone. After the battery runs out, one must find a charging station (compatible with standard outlets). Between the Leaf and the Volt, only the Leaf can boast the fact that it has zero tailpipe emissions. The first Nissan Leaf was delivered to its owner in San Diego in December 2010 and has over 17,000 pre-orders lined up.
Chevrolet Volt
Sticker Price: $41,000
Price After $7,500 Tax Credit Rebate: $33,500
Battery Warranty: 8 years or 100,000 miles
Battery Life Per Charge: 40 miles
Range Extending Gas Engine: 300 additional miles
The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid, meaning that the gas engine kicks in after the car runs out of charge. The Volt's total range is almost 250 miles greater than the Leaf, but it gets 60 miles fewer per charge. Chevrolet markets the Volt as more of a luxury vehicle than the Nissan Leaf and it's total power output is 150hp compared to the Leaf's 110hp. The Volt also has a higher top speed: 100mph versus the Leaf's 90mph. General Motors expects to sell 10,000 Chevy Volts in 2011, the first of which will be delivered in November.