From left: Toyota Prius, Tesla Roadster, Chevrolet Volt
Automakers are working full-throttle to get electric vehicles on the market. But there are differences in the technology that's available.
The systems, or powertrains, that drive hybrid and plug-in vehicles use electricity generated by batteries and electric motors to either supplement or largely take the place of internal-combustion engines. How the most common systems compare:
A look at some of the cars that use electric technologies
- 2010 FORD FUSION HYBRID
- Engine: 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder; 156 hp; Electric motor: 106 hp; MPG (city/highway/combined): 41 / 36 / 39; Base price: $27,995.
- 2010 HONDA INSIGHT
- Engine: 1.3-liter inline four-cylinder; 88 hp; Electric motor: 13 hp; MPG (city/highway/combined): 40 / 43 / 41; Base price: $20,470.
- 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS
- Engine: 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder; 98 hp; Electric motor: 80 hp; MPG (city/highway/combined): 51 / 48 / 50; Base price: $22,000.
- CHEVROLET VOLT (estimates)
- Engine: 1.4-liter inline four-cylinder; 100 hp; Electric motor: 149 hp; MPG (city/highway/combined): 230; base price: $40,000.
- TESLA ROADSTER
- Engine: None; Electric motor: 248 hp; MPG (city/highway/combined): 244 miles on a charge; Base price: $101,500.
The Volt
The Chevrolet Volt, billed as a rechargeable electric car, gets most of its power from an electric motor and a battery pack with a 40-mile range. It also has a small internal-combustion engine that kicks in after the battery runs out of juice. The battery pack can be recharged from a standard home outlet.
General Motors expects the Volt to get 230 miles per gallon in the city, based on early tests using draft guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency for calculating mileage of extended-range electric vehicles.
GM says the fuel savings will at least partially offset the vehicle's projected $40,000 price tag.
Traditional hybrids
The Volt's mileage could be a vast improvement over that of traditional hybrids, such as Toyota's popular Prius, which combines an internal-combustion engine with a special hybrid battery that boosts fuel efficiency.
The newest version of the Prius starts at about $22,000 and gets an EPA-estimated 51 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway.
Other hybrid models use different forms of powertrain technology and don't achieve the dramatic jump in miles per gallon that the Prius does. For example, the Chevy Malibu hybrid, which starts at $25,555, gets up to 26 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.
By comparison, the purely gas-powered Malibu, priced at $21,605, gets up to 22 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.
With a nearly $4,000 premium on the hybrid model, consumers need to consider fuel prices, along with how much they plan to drive the vehicle, when deciding whether the extra cost is worth it.
All-electric
The Volt is expected to compete against high-end electric vehicles such as the Tesla Roadster. The Roadster has a range of 224 miles, but also comes with a $100,000-plus price tag. Tesla is also working on an electric family sedan that will be priced considerably less.
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