One drawback of some electric hybrid vehicles is what is called “range anxiety.” It’s the worry drivers feel that their car won’t go far enough on its electric battery. The Toyota Prius Plug-In can travel only 10-15 miles on a fully charged battery; the Ford Fusion Hybrid Plug-In, only 19 miles; and Ford’s C-Max Energi Plug-In, 21 miles. The 2015 Chevy Volt has turned those numbers on their head by creating an electric car that offers 50 miles of EV (electric) range per fully-charged battery.

The 2015 Volt was unveiled last week in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show (full disclosure: I was a guest of General Motors, but under no obligation to give any of their vehicles a favorable review). I haven’t had a chance to test drive it yet, so I can’t speak to how it performs on the road. But I did take a look at the specs and get behind the wheel, and I liked a lot of what I saw.

My first priority is fuel efficiency. I want to use the least amount of gasoline possible, given the impact burning gas has on climate change and air pollution. In that regard, the Volt offers the distinct possibility of never having to buy gasoline unless you’re taking it on a long trip. “Volt owners complete more than 80 percent of their trips without using a drop of gasoline,” said Andrew Farah, vehicle chief engineer. Even when gas is used to extend the vehicle’s range (which is how a plug-in hybrid works), drivers are expected to be able to travel more than 1,000 miles on average between gas fill-ups, for an average fuel efficiency of 41 mpg.

After fuel efficiency, I want a car with uncomplicated technology and enough performance to make highway driving uncomplicated. The Volt seems to deliver. It is easy to recharge the battery using a standard 120 Volt outlet; the battery can be recharged any time it’s needed, but most drivers recharge it overnight and on the weekends when their electricity rates are particularly low. A 120V portable cord conveniently stores on the left side of the Volt’s rear cargo area for easy accessibility. It’s also easy to keep track of how much charge is left in the battery, so the driver knows in advance when the car will switch over to gasoline mode. As for performance, the car can go from zero to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds, which seems plenty fast to me.

Safety is also on my priorities chart. A standard rear-vision camera now comes with the Volt to help drivers avoid backing into hard-to-see objects. The vehicle also comes with ten standard airbags, including driver and front-passenger knee air bags. Additional active safety features offer lane keep assist with lane departure warning, side blind zone alert with lane change alert, front automatic braking, and advanced park assist, among several other benefits.

What about design? If you’re looking for something with a sleek, sporty design, the Volt looks the part. It seems to have an easy-to-read display panel on the dashboard, and there’s a small third seat in the back to make it possible to carry a total of 5 people in the car. I’ll have a better sense of the design features once I give it a test drive later this year.

Cost and Availability

The Volt goes on sale in the second half of 2015. It is expected to retail for around $30,000. Check state and federal rebate options to help reduce the price by a few thousand dollars.

 RELATED ELECTRIC CAR POSTS

My Test Drive of the 2011 Chevy Volt

Ford Fusion Hybrid Review 

My Test Drive of the Nissan Leaf

The post New Chevy Volt Electric Car Can Go 50 Miles on a Single Battery Charge appeared first on Big Green Purse.

NAIAS is showcasing what it calls the most recent advances in automotive technology at Detroit’s Cobo Center through January 24th.  Although NAIAS is featuring plenty of gas guzzlers, it is also highlighting dozens of electric, hybrid, and fuel-efficient vehicles.  On the ground floor, a 37,000 sq. foot exhibit called the “Electric Avenue” has been devoted solely to electrics.

Here are the highlights:

Chevy Volt

Price: TBA estimated $30,000-$40,000

Production Begins: 2010

Although the Volt appeared as a concept car previously, Chevrolet’s much-hyped hybrid electric is on display in anticipation of its launch later this year.  Drivers can travel up to 40 miles per charge on the Volt’s electric battery before the car switches to gasoline, at which point the car can go up to an additional 600 miles without a refill.  Personally, I believe the Volt is a game-changer.  Why? Click here to see what I told Fox News.

Nissan LEAF

Price: TBA, estimated $25,000-$30,000

Production Begins: 2010

Unlike the Volt, the LEAF is greener because it’s an all-electric car with no gasoline back-up system.  However, this benefit doesn’t come without a tradeoff: it can only travel 100 miles on a single charge, making the LEAF better suited for local drives rather than long-distance road trips.

Tesla Model S

Price: $49,500

Production Begins: 2011

The Model S gives the consumer a choice of three battery options, providing driving ranges from 160 to 300 miles between charges.  While the hefty price tag may place the Tesla out of reach for many middle-class consumers (like me), if you’re already in the market for a Lexus, Mercedes, or even a very flashy Camry, get your name on the Tesla list instead.

Honda CR-Z Hybrid

Price: TBA, estimated $25,000

Production Begins: 2010

Honda finally unveiled the production version of this vehicle after debuting the concept design years ago.  Two different transmission options will be available: 6-speed manual or the more fuel-efficient Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).  However, the fuel economy is somewhat underwhelming even with CVT, topping out at 36 city/38 highway miles per gallon.

Toyota FT-CH

Price: TBA

Production Begins: TBA

As the next member of its hybrid vehicle “family,” Toyota showed off the FT-CH as a lower-priced alternative to the popular Prius.  Intended for younger consumers, the FT-CH is also lighter and more fuel-efficient than its big brother.  The price and date of availability are unknown because it debuted as a concept car. Stay tuned.

As excited as we are about the development of electric cars, their price is not for the faint of heart. Consumers who buy these cars right now are doing so because it’s a smart way to save gas, improve national security by way of consuming less oil, and help reduce air and water pollution. You may not be financially ready to order a Tesla yet, but George Clooney has. Thanks, George.

If you’re interested in checking out the NAIAS cars for yourself, view a schedule of upcoming auto shows here.

You can also review EPA’s list of most fuel efficient vehicles here.

The post How Green are the Cars At the 2010 Auto Show? appeared first on Big Green Purse.