I have a 2006 Corolla that I will keep for at least 10 years, bought new. About 16,000 miles now. I really want plug-in, all-electric for my next vehicle. What are my chances of this happening? Jay Leno has a very HOT one but a bit pricy.
We’re sure Mr. Leno has a bunch of cars that are very HOT but a bit pricy. The one you may have caught Leno driving was the all-electric $109,000 Tesla Roadster. As far as an affordable plug-in electric-only car, that kind of technology for the masses is still dependent on battery technology and, specifically, cost. But the technology to make these affordable is, in fact, around the corner. It may even arrive sooner than your 2016 deadline for trading in the Corolla.
Nissan recently announced plans to sell an all-electric car by 2010. That’s all we know right now, however, and facts like price, the vehicle’s mileage range or even what it will look like are still a mystery. Nissan has shown electric plug-in concepts in the past, most recently at the 2008 New York auto show with the Denki Cube concept.
Other developments on the plug-in vehicle front include the much-anticipated Chevrolet Volt, which can plug into a household outlet to charge the battery and also use a conventional gas-powered engine to charge the battery when needed. At least, that’s the theory so far.
Currently in testing are Toyota Prius and Ford Escape plug-in hybrids, which Toyota and Ford have placed in the hands of universities and electrical companies for evaluation. Cars.com has had the opportunity to drive the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape plug-in hybrids, and you can find those first drives below, as well as more information about Nissan’s electric car, the Chevrolet Volt and plug-in technology in general.
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j, where did you get pricing info on the Phoenix?
The Phoenixes aren't hot, but they look practical. The SUV is roughly the size of a CR-V goes 100 miles on a single 10-minute charge...nice.
Sorry for all the post but I found the pricing. It's steep, but not $109,000. The truck is $47,500 and the SUV cost $54,000. Not bad considering the savings...
http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com/why-choose-phoenix/roi-calculator.php
I did a compare with a CR-V EX-L 2WD which gets 23 mpg(combined), and with fuel at $4.00 per gallon. CR-V cost $2600 for fuel per year vs the Phoenix for $500 per year for electricity. Not bad.
I'll believe the Phoenix when I see it. There are more than a few electric companies out there like ZAP already and they don't really produce a viable product for real life commuting at highway speeds etc. Many aren't legal in all 50 states etc.We'll keep an eye out as we always do though.
Based on what I have been reading and posting at http://www.chevy-volt.net, there seems to be a good chance that the Volt will be a plug-in that does not require modification.
No duh, Mr. Chevy Volt Guy. Haven't you heard all of GM's PR concerning that vehicle?
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What abou the Phoenix motors Truck and SUV? There around $35-$40,000.