Two contenders for the electric vehicle market, the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, are getting closer to being seen out and about on city streets.
The Volt, according to the website is "an electric car that can create its own electricity. Plug it in, let it charge overnight, and it’s ready to run on a pure electric charge for up to 40 miles — gas and emissions free. After that...Volt uses a range-extending gas generator that produces enough energy to power it for hundreds of miles on a single tank of gas."
The Nissan Leaf, by contrast, is 100% electric. It will get about 100 miles on a single charge. Leaf owners can get a special charging station installed at their homes, or charge up at yet to be determined "charging stations" around town.
Both cars are pretty close in price. The Leaf's MSRP is $32,780, which includes three years of roadside assistance. There is also a federal tax credit of $7,500 for which the Leaf fully qualifies as well as a $1,500 state tax credit in Oregon. Chevrolet has yet to determine MSRP for the, but is currently estimating around $30,000 after the $7,500 tax credit.
The roll out for the cars is starting soon. The Leaf becomes available for purchase or lease at Nissan dealers in select markets (Oregon being one of them) in December 2010 and nationwide in 2011. The Volt is preparing for a selected market launch before the end of the year with nationwide roll out in November 2011.
CNET tried out the Nissan Leaf in 2009 and here is what they had to say:
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The Volt has been available for press test drives at the New York Auto Show this week. Here is a link to Fast Company's test drive.
What's your take? Are you ready to put your name on a waiting list for an electric vehicle, or are you not at all interested?
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