Don't Want to Build An EV...Then Buy One!

If the thought of converting your car or truck to electric is too daunting or you just don't have time, then I have good news for you. Many companies are jumping on the electric vehicle bandwagon and some of these cars are awesome!

This car is not due out until 2010. It is being developed by Mitsubishi. The MiEV will use a single 47 kW motor and 16 kWh lithium ion batteries—to yield about 75 miles of range and a top speed of 80 miles per hour. The vehicle will be a four-seater with a real usable back seat. No mention of price yet.

General Motors claims that the Chevrolet Volt is an “extended-range electric vehicle,” however the Volt is only promising gas-free transportation for 40 miles of driving. The good news is that 40 miles is well beyond what most Americans travel on a daily basis. The purchase price will be approximately $40,000 when it arrives in late 2010.

The Subaru R1e a small two-seater, has a top speed of 65 miles per hour and a range of 50 miles. More importantly, the time to recharge the 346-volt lithium ion battery pack has been reduced to about 15 minutes. Here’s the hitch: To get the faster charging time, you need a special stationary charger. Using the on board standard charger puts the electricity refueling time back to about eight hours. No price yet.

The limited edition Mini E car is based on the Mini Cooper platform. The car's 380-volt battery is comprised of 5,088 individual cells, and can be
recharged using a standard 110-volt electrical outlet. The battery pack has a maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours. BMW will offer a specialized high-amp wall-mounted device that will allow a full replenishment of the battery in less than three hours. The Mini E will have a cruising range of 150 miles. Approximately 500 cars are slated for production and lease to select customers in Southern California and the New York area. Pricing has not yet been determined.

And here's my favorite...the Tesla Roadster is a screaming-fast, all-electric two-seater sports car built on the frame of the Lotus Elise. The specs, if they can be delivered, are impressive: 0 – 60 mph in less than four seconds, 135-mph top speed, 200-mile range, and a brilliant tech design that wires together nearly 7,000 mass-commodity rechargeable lithium batteries. The price? Just north of $100,000. Tesla has faced serious technology and corporate hurdles in delivering its first vehicles. Only a few Tesla Roadsters have been shipped so far, but the company plans to expand production to 1,600 annually for 2009 and 2010.

There are other electric vehicles that are either on the market or being developed as we speak. Some, Like the Gem e2 are currently in production and available, while others like the Miles XS500 area still in development.

One thing we can be sure of, the electric car is here to stay and as battery technology improves, the range and speed of electric vehicles will put them in direct competition with current fossil fuel vehicles.