While neither you nor
your neighbor may have an electric car on your shopping list, they are
available – if in small numbers. In response to rising fuel economy standards and
volatile fuel prices, automakers are starting to roll out electric vehicles
(EVs) to reduce, and in some cases even replace, fuel consumption
Fisker Karma and Nissan Leaf
With all this
activity, we are evaluating many of the available hybrid and plug-in vehicle. We’ve
found that electric power is a very effective way to boost fuel economy. But
pure electric cars have their limits, primarily with range, charging time, and
cost.
Electric drive comes in several flavors.
Hybrids, which combine
gasoline power with electric drive technology to boost fuel economy, are most
familiar to consumers. But they aren’t all created equal, ranging from “mild”
systems to full plug-in ones.
Mild hybrids use a
small electric motor and battery pack to augment the car’s gas engine, thus
improving fuel economy. The electric system recaptures energy that otherwise
would be wasted in braking, storing it in the battery. This energy is later used
to aid acceleration, saving fuel by taking some of the load off the gas engine.
While mild hybrids can shut down the engine at stops and restart it instantly
when you take your foot off the brake, they cannot drive on electric power
alone. Examples include the Chevrolet Malibu Eco, the Buick LaCrosse eAssit,
and current Honda hybrids. The Honda Civic Hybrid’s 40 mpg overall is the best
of this breed.
The Buick LaCrosse eAssit
Full hybrids can
travel short distances – up to about a mile-exclusively on electric power at
speeds typically below 15 mph. they don’t plug-in, but they get very good gas
mileage by using electric power when the gas engine is at its least efficient.
At 44 mpg overall the Toyota Prius gets the best fuel economy of nay non-lug-in
vehicle we’ve tested.
A new subset of
hybrids needs to be plugged in to get the best mileage. The Chevrolet Volt is a
$40,000 small hatchback that can go about 35 miles on electricity before the
battery runs out. Surveys have how that’s enough to meet most people’s needs
without ever using gasoline. After that, a gas engine kicks in to provide the
electricity for longer trips. Gas mileage depends entirely on how often you
recharge. Assuming 70 percent of miles are on electricity, our tests yielded 61
mpg for the Volt, taking into account both electric consumption of 99 MPGe and
gas consumption of 32 mpg.
We’ve purchased two
other plug-in hybrids: a $40,000 Toyota Prius Plug-in and the $108,000 Fisker
Karma. The Prius has an electric range of just 15 miles before it reverts to
working like a standard Prius hybrid. Even in electric mode, the Prius Plug-in
will start the gas engine under just light throttle or if you exceed 62 mph.
The sleek Karma luxury
sedan acts similarly to the Volt. With its 5,400-pound crub weight, the Karma
has similar range-but not the fuel economy – of the Volt. It doesn’t have much
more space inside, either. But its eye-catching design draws attention.
At the far end of the
electric-car spectrum are pure electric cars, such as the $35,000 Nissan Leaf
and the $30,000 Mitsubishi i. In our tests the Leaf got the equivalent of 106
miles per gallon over its 75-mile electric range-an impressive figure. But
there’s a definite learning curve in planning your route and charging
opportunities. If you run out of energy, you’ll need a tow truck- and 6 hours
on a special charger to replenish the battery. Without the special charger, it
would take 16 hours on a standard household outlet.
Mitsubishi i
The tiny Mitsubishi I
is the least-expensive all-electric car on the market. Smaller than other
electrics, it also has a 40 percent shorter range, a clamed 62 miles. We’ve
been averaging 59 miles on a full charge, and getting slightly better
efficiency than in the Leaf, with a fuel cost ò about 3 cents per mile
Even non-hybrids
benefit from electric-car technology. Many gas cars use electric power
steering, air-conditioning, and other accessories to save fuel. And a few use
start-stop technology to shut down the engine at stops-like hybrids do-to save
fuels.
You have to pay to play
The cost of hybrid and
electric cars is a stumbling block for some buyers. Hybrids can cost about
$3,000 more than comparable gas cars, with electric cars listing for more than
$10,000 above similar gasoline models. And plug-in hybrids can carry stickers
almost double those of the gas cars they’re based on. So what’s consumer to do?
Federal tax credits of
up to $7,500 for all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids with at least 16
electric cars and plug-in hybrids with at least 16 kWh of battery capacity are
available. The Prius Plug-in, with its smaller battery, is eligible for a
rebate of $2,500. As other electric cars come on the market, their credits will
be calculated according to the size of their batteries up to the $7,500 maximum
Most electric car
buyers will want to invest in a 240-volt, Level 2 charger, which makes it
possible to fully charge a pure electric car overnight. (Plug-in hybrids, with
their smaller batteries, can charge overnight on standard outlets). Counting
installation by a professional electrician, these chargers cost between $700
and a few thousand dollars.
The payoff comes at
the pump. Electrics cost far less to run per mile than gas-powered cars. We’ve
found that at national average electric rates, their lower operating costs can
offset the net purchase price increase. For example, counting depreciation, fueling
and other costs, we found the Nissan Leaf, which costs $26,130 to buy after the
tax credits, costs less to own for two years than Nissan’s $17,470 Versa sedan.
After five years, the savings adds up to more than $4,000. The Volt takes six
years to pay off compared with a Chevrolet Cruze. So carefully consider how
long you plan to own the car as well as how far you drive in a day.
Operating costs are
also dependent on how much you pay for electricity. High electric rates in
densely populated coastal areas put energy costs on par with a gasoline car.
But in California, Michigan, and some other states, lower rates are available
for electric-car charging. So, before you consider buying an electric car, find
out what rates are available in your area.
And on the way…
A wave of new electric
cars is coming to market. In addition to those we’ve tested here, here are some
cars we’ll be looking at in the future.
BMW Active
– E
The Active- E is an
all-electric version of the BMW 1 Series, with a claimed 100-mile range. It’s
only available for lease to customers in certain metro areas of the country.
Coda
This California
startup builds an electric version of Chinese sedan, itself based on a
12-year-old Mitsubishi. Coda claims a 125-mile range from its under-floor
batteries.
Honda
Accord Plug-in
The next generation
Honda Accord will offer a plug-in hybrid variant that can go 15 miles on
electric power and be recharged in an hour and a half
Ford
C-Max/C-Max Energi
This Focus-based
microvan goes on sale this fall in two versions: a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid
with a 40-mile electric range. The Energi plug-in hybrid has a big 16 kWh
battery, half of which resides inside the hatch in the cargo bay
Ford Focus
EV
The quiet, quick Focus
EV is one of the nicer-driving electrics. Its EPA-rated 76-mile range is
similar to the Nissan Leaf and it charges twice as fast, but the batteries rob
some of the trunk space.
Ford
Fusion Hybrid/ Fusion Energi
The redesigned Fusion,
which goes on sale this fall, comes as a conventional or plug-in hybrid with a
40-mile electric range. The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid will be offered as a more
upscale version.
Infiniti
LE
The LE is an upscale
all-electric sedan based on the Nissan Leaf. In concept fomr it displayed the
ability to be charged wirelessly. A 6kW onboard charger will allow it to be
fully recharged in less than five hours.
Lexus ES
Hybrid.
The new ES300h will
use the same running gear as the Camry Hybrid
Nissan
Altima Hybrid
Debuting in the near
future Nissan’s redesigned Altima will get a new full hybrid similar to the one
in the Infiniti M35h.
Tesla
Model S
Available in three
versions – a base model for $57,000, a version with greater range for $67,000,
and a Performance version with a 265-mile range for $100,000- the Model S is a
nicely –finished and roomy sedan on sale now
Volkswagen
Jetta Hybrid
VW’s second
full-hybrid will debut late this year in the popular Jetta sedan. The
full-hybrid system works like that in the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, clutching in
the gas engine when needed.
