I recently read up about the Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF electric cars. The LEAF is purely electric and can go 100 miles on a charge and the Volt can do 40 miles, but has a gasoline engine for backup. Just wondering if people are really going to buy these cars of if they are more of a marketing gimmick for free advertisement. Here is the article about the cars:

http://www.acceltimes.com/news/8/featherweight-challenge-chevy-volt-vs-nissan-leaf.php

Anyone here considering one of these?

I'd take the Dodge Circut over these 2 any day. it can go 150-200 miles on a charge and still cranks out 268HP
plus it looks way better
http://static.autoblog.nl/images/wp2009/dodge-circuit-ev.jpg

Yeah the Circuit does look much better, especially since it's based off the Lotus. Do you know any more info as to pricing and release date? Or is it still a concept and not slated for production?

the unoficial release date is 2011 but Chrysler has said that it plans to release one of its ENVI line cars in 2010
-Dodge circut
- Chrysler 200C
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mxVVX-SZq6c/SXYBHWv3Q3I/AAAAAAAABhw/CAFxCwvNMb8/s400/Chrysler-200C-EV-Concept.jpg

- Jeep Wrangler and Patriot EV
patriot can go 40 miles all electric and 400 using hybrid, wrangler is the 4 door model and can go the same general distance. Patriot comes in AWD

-Chrysler Town and Country EV, 40 miles all electric and 400 hybrid.


http://www.evworld.com/press/chrysler_envi_5evs.jpg

To the OP, people are skeptical about EV's right now because the internal combustion engine has been the proven standard for a hundred years. People often forget that electric cars were some of the first, dating back to the late 19th Century, but the combustion engine won because of its power potential and lighter weight. How things have changed! Audi has an EV that makes 3,000 lb-ft of torque but burning zero gasoline. We have a long stretch to go before we can store the charge needed for our long distance commutes, but as technology gets better, EV's are definitely the next generation of the car. Vehicles like the Volt are good for the interim, because they have backup gas power, but will soon be obsolete. The benefit is that when it comes out in 2011, there are still VERY few places where you can pull up to a 'charge station' and refill on electricity, so the gas motor will take you longer distances. Until electric charging stations are a reality, our electric cars will either be short-distance city runners or have to haul around a heavy gas motor in the trunk, a'la Chevy Volt.

There are also a lot of economic forces at work that have remained consistent for the duration of the combustion engine - plenty of cheap oil. Analysts, scientists and geologists are all predicting that within our lifetime (25 yrs) we will see a cap in oil production, and when that happens it will become very expensive. As it stands today few people are willing to pay a $5-10K premium for a hybrid when gas is $2.50/gal (or $.95/litre here in Canada). You'll never make that up over the period of the average finance/lease. But when gas is $5-7/gal, it might seem more beneficial to have a fuel efficient, or better yet gas-free car.

As an automotive enthusiast, I just hope they find a way to make EV's exciting. I'm already pissed that I will eventually have to give up my manual tranny, and will fight it to the bitter end. But alas, it seems CVT is the only transmission option in hybrid/EV's. On the plus side EV's have incredible power potential and max torque is available at ZERO RPM's, so acceleration will be great. Cars will also be lighter, thanks to mass production of materials like carbon fibre and lightweight aluminum, which will make them faster still. Who knows, I just hope they figure out a sweet sound for them to make....