Electric Cars Gaining Ground

Chevy Volt Has Arrived

After decades of hype and promises, it appears that the future is arriving at last – at least in the auto market. Driven by rising fuel prices and a public push to go “green”, the last decade has seen a rise in sales and production of hybrid vehicles. Now, totally electric vehicles are set to start delivery in the United States.

General Motors has set a sales target of about 10,000 units for the Chevy Volt over the coming year, and ups the ante to four and a half times that number during 2012. You have likely already noticed the fairly aggressive television ad campaigns for the Volt, and if you were lucky, you may have seen one at a location near you. In a move to get people talking, and hopefully soon buying, Chevy just wrapped up a 12 city, hands-on, publicity tour in the U.S. during which a little over six thousand people had the opportunity to take a Volt for a test drive. Although totally electric, the volt does have an onboard gas powered generator which can power the vehicle after its estimated 25-50 mile range on the batteries.

Not to be outdone, Nissan followed suit with a nation wide tour of its own. Winding through 23 cities Nissan has taken its electric “Leaf” directly to the people – media advertising will surely follow to stay competitive with the Volt. The Leaf already has one leg up versus the Volt – in the category of range. Nissan’s entrant into the electric arena boasts about 100 miles to the charge which is 2 to 4 times the range of the Volt without burning any gas on-board.