Chevy Volt: Plug In and Drive Oil-Free

Electric cars offer fuel savings, eco-friendly performance and help us on the path towards energy independence. Yet for years only a lucky few (Californians, mostly) have been able to lease electric cars from major manufacturers. Now things are starting to change and it couldn't come at a better time.

Although Chrysler has its own electric vehicles planned, GM promises to lead the way with the Chevy Volt. Not a pure electric car, the Volt is known as "an extended range vehicle," or an E-REV, and runs on either electricity or gasoline. The car plugs into any standard electric outlet and stores the energy in an on-board lithium-ion battery. When fully charged, it offers 40 miles of emission- and oil-free driving. After the first 40 miles, the Volt runs on gasoline like any other vehicle. Since more than half of Americans drive less than 40 miles for their daily commute, many people may rarely use gas at all for their Volt. Going from zero to sixty in nine seconds and with a top speed of 100 mph, the Volt isn't exactly a sportscar, but it will more than match the daily driving needs of most of us.

If you're wondering how long it will take to charge, GM says that in a standard 120 volt outlet it will charge in about eight hours, appropriate for an overnight plug-in.  In a 240v outlet, it will power up in less than three hours. Dave Darovitz, the communications manager for the Volt, says that if driven 15,000 miles year, this would amount to 312 charges consuming about 2,520 kWh of electricity, just a little less than a standard water heater. At the current average price for electricity in the U.S., the Volt would cost $304 to run all year long.

So when can we buy one? Bob Boniface, the design director of the Volt, said in an interview that Chevy is planning to go into production in November 2010 and will arrive at dealerships in 2011. Production will be limited at first and the price has yet to be determined, but it is speculated that the Volt will retail around $40,000.

"Electric cars are the only cars that get cleaner they longer they are on the road," says Felix Kramer, founder of CalCars.org, an organization that supports plug-in vehicle technology. The reason why this is so is because electric companies have been steadily adding more renewable energy to the electric grid. However, if you'd really like to up your green quotient, consider adding solar panels to your home to charge your electric vehicle. Remarkable? Yes. Possible? Absolutely.