With concerns about the rising cost of gasoline as well as the pollutants exiting the tailpipes of both gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles, more automotive manufacturers are coming out with electric cars. Some electricity-powered cars do not go very far between charges, while others have a driving range similar to a vehicle with a combustion engine. If you are looking for fleet vehicles, a commuter vehicle, or a weekend sports car, there are electric vehicles that could satisfy your needs.
Tesla Motors makes the Tesla Roadster, which is a high-performance electric car. The Roadster is charged through a wall socket with a special adapter that looks similar to a car cell phone charger that plugs into the side of the car. Owners can plug the Roadster into either a 120-volt outlet everyday appliances use or a 240-volt outlet used for clothes dryers. Tesla Motors says the Roadster on average can drive about 244 miles per full charge. Tesla Motors has clocked the Roadster's acceleration from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds. The motor's power output is rated at 288 horsepower and the torque at 273 lb-ft. The Roadster's engine also red-lines at 14,000 RPM.
Electric vehicle maker Zap! produces a few electric vehicles. The Xebra is a four-door compact sedan that seats four and has three wheels, one in front and two in the rear. The Zapvan Shuttle is a larger option, seating five passengers with room for cargo. Instead of the three-wheel configuration, the Zapvan Shuttle has a more traditional four wheels. The Zaptruck XL is a two-seater pickup truck. All three sides of the payload area are hinged so they can fold down and larger objects can be hauled on a flat surface. The truck's payload capacity is rated at 1,600 pounds.
After controversy that surrounded General Motor's phasing out of the EV1 electric vehicle, GM is making a comeback with the Volt the 2011 model year. The Volt is able to travel up to 40 miles solely on its electric charge that is stored by plugging the vehicle into a wall outlet overnight. After the electric charge is depleted, a gas generator in the Volt comes on to help the Volt generate more electricity to keep the car going. The Volt's interior offers space for four occupants and a trunk for cargo.
The Nissan Leaf is a completely electric vehicle. The Leaf is recharged by plugging it into a 240-volt outlet that must be on a dedicated circuit connected to a breaker for safety. Exact details on the torque output of the Leaf's electric engine has not been released, but as with other electric vehicles, 100% of the torque is available at 0 miles per hour. Nissan has said the acceleration of the Leaf is like that of a V6 vehicle and has a top speed of 90 miles per hour, making it worthy of highway driving. Nissan has also stated that the average range of the car in between charges is about 100 miles.
