Almost every large auto maker in the world has an electric car plan. Every major international auto show is full of proud concepts on display. Looking at them is great food for the soul – but once you step outside into the real world, right here and now, what real electric cars can you buy today?
Tesla Roadster
It’s fast, it’s sexy, and it goes the distance with a standard range of 392 kilometers (244 miles) per charge. Based on a modified Lotus Elise chassis, this head turner can travel from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. That’s faster than anything in it’s class. It’s also one of the most attractive electric cars ever built, ditching the somehow common notion that all electric cars must look like eggs, fax machines and bubbles.
You can buy one of these remarkable vehicles today for $109,000 US Dollars.
Th!nk City
Norwegian owned Th!nk make the Th!nk City, an attractive, highway capable electric vehicle currently available in Europe. If you can’t be bothered with the hassle of shipping one from Europe don’t panic: American production is set to commence in 2010.
It has a top speed of 105 km/h (65 mph) and currently sells for $32,500 US. The batteries are also lease-only at around $150 US per month, so it’s certainly not a cheap hatchback, but new technology is rarely cheap! Once again, the vehicle looks less like an “electric car” and more like a normal car which is fantastic news for EV enthusiasts trying to ditch the quirky image electric cars have gained.
AC Propulsion eBox
American manufacturer AC Propulsion currently produces the eBox, a professionally re-fitted and converted Toyota Scion xB. The eBox is attractive – in a boxy way – and has a top speed of 153 km/h (95 mph). It’s has a 0 to 60 time of only 7 seconds, and can travel around 257 kilometers (160) miles on a single charge. The only down side to this vehicle is the cost, at around $55,000 US it’s half the price of a Tesla Roadster, but still out of reach of people like you and me.
Mitsubishi MiEV
The MiEV is an all-electric version of Mitsubishi’s gasoline powered iCar. It has a top speed of 140km/h (86 mph) and a range of 160 kilometers (100 miles). It also has electric four-wheel drive thanks to four in-hub motors. It has the ability to charge from 0% to 80% full in only 25 minutes if you have access to a 3-phase (high power) plug.
If you can get past the quirky looks, the car looks suitable for most city-dwelling motorists, and while it’s range is around 1000 miles less than Mitsubishi’s all-electric prototype achieved in 1999, it’s got a lot going for it.
At this instance, only 10 cars will be available for sale in Hong Kong this year. Otherwise you’ll have to wait for April 2010 to buy one – at about $47,000 USD. Ouch.
Believe it or not, that’s all that’s available when it comes to pure electric vehicles you can buy today.
Unless you can afford to fork out $32,500 US + Shipping for a Th!nk City, or wait 5 to 10 years for production EVs to come down in price, it seems the best way to ditch fossil fuels & go all-electric is to find a standard gas powered car, rip out the engine & convert it to electricity yourself!
