Range: 265 miles
Price: $92,400
A new batch of electric cars is joining the big names on the market such as the Nissan Leaf. So we thought it was time to catch up on the EV scene and see how the new entrants stack up. More electric cars are coming, too, including the two-seaters Mini E, Smart ForTwo, and Audi E-tron, and four- and five-seaters Scion iQ EV, Volkswagen E-Up and E-Golf, and a Cadillac ELR version of the Volt.
Coda Sedan
Range: 88 miles
Price: $37,250
Built by a small California company using a Chinese-made version of a Japanese Mitsubishi Lancer as a platform, the Coda runs on a unique lithium-phosphate battery instead of the more common lithium-ion. EPA rates the Coda as a subcompact, though the four-door sedan will carry five people. Those who've gotten the chance to drive one have generally come away with a good impression of the EV, which gets brisk acceleration from its 134-hp electric motor.
Range: 76 miles
Price: $39,995
The Ford Focus EV will be offered only in California, New York, and New Jersey as it is slowly released to the public. But during our drive, we found the Focus EV to be quick and quieter than a gasoline-powered model on the road. One big plus for the electric Focus is its high-capacity 240-volt onboard charger, which lets you top off the battery in less than 4 hours
Range: 123 miles
Price: $36,665
We just got our first drive in the electric version of a car we really like, the Honda Fit. We expect the five-seat Fit EV to be rated as the longest-range passenger EV—the automaker says you'll get 123 miles on a charge. Honda is rolling out the vehicle conservatively; it will be sold only in California and Oregon later this year, and, like the Toyota RAV4 EV, it will have a small production run: just 1100 cars for the next three years
Range: 62 miles
Price: $27,900
The bubble-shaped subcompact i-Miev is a dedicated electric car design (not a gasoline car converted to run on batteries) with its motor in the rear driving the rear wheels. The bad: It's the slowest accelerating electric we've driven, getting to 60 mph in about 15 seconds. The good: Despite the pokey acceleration, it feels lively on the road while getting a score of 112 mpge from the EPA. And it's much less expensive than a Nissan Leaf or a Ford Focus EV.
Range: 56 miles
Price: $58,000 (est.)
Available as a small panel van or a passenger wagon, the electric version of Ford's heavy-duty front-drive tall wagon can carry up to 1000 pounds of cargo, so it's aimed at customers who need utility. The Transit Connect EV delivers that utility, but with a range just north of 50 miles and an efficiency of just 62 mpge. For comparison, a passenger car like the Ford Focus EV is rated at 105 mpge
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