7 New Electric Cars Available in 2011
Much anticipated electric cars are hitting showrooms this year, from the Nissan Leaf to the Chevy Volt, Coda, Think, Fisker Karma and more.
Chevrolet Volt
What is It? The Volt is a plug-in hybrid with 25 to 50 miles of all-electric range, and it's General Motors' high-tech green flagship. The company won't make a profit on the Volt, but it will gain some environmental credibility after decades of making gas-guzzling SUVs.
Under the Hood: A 1.4-liter, 84-horsepower four-cylinder engine that, most of the time, makes power for a 16-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a 111-kilowatt drive motor.
Range: 25 to 50 miles in electric mode, followed by another 300 with the gas engine running.
Performance: Top speed is 100 mph. Acceleration, decidedly unofficial, could come to approximately 8.5 seconds zero to 60.
Delivery Date: December 2010, though the early cars will be delivered only to California, Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
Bottom Line: $41,000
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