The most energy-efficient car in the U.S. for the 2015 model year isn’t an unadorned “econobox,” but rather it’s the futuristically styled and sporty BMW i3 four-door all-electric hatchback that gets the equivalent of 124 mpg.
While many remain prohibitively costly, the sticker prices of some electric vehicles now approach conventionally powered models, especially after deducting the one-time $7,500 federal income tax credit that’s available to EV buyers.
Owning an EV isn’t for everyone, however. For starters, one must have access to an electric outlet to charge the battery pack for between four and eight (or more) hours at a stretch, which usually limits their use to homeowners or those fortunate enough to have charging stations in their apartment-or office-building garages. Charging can take eight hours or more with standard 110-volt service; a quicker, though costlier alternative would be to have a dedicated 240-volt power line installed.
At that, EVs suffer from a limited operating range, which is typically less than 100 miles on a charge, can run even shorter depending on temperature, vehicle speed and other factors.
What’s more, many EVs aren’t available to all buyers in the U.S. Several are only sold in California and perhaps a handful of states that are considered major markets; those limited to California are so-called compliance cars made available to fulfill the state’s requirement that major automakers sell at least one zero-emissions vehicle.
Here’s a quick look at the top EVs available to consumers, listed according to their combined city/highway electric (“e-mpg”) fuel economy equivalents as certified by the Environmental Protection Agency. Prices noted are current as of this writing and do not include options or delivery charges.
• BMW i3: 124 e-mpg (with range extender: 117 e-mpg/39 mpg); $41,350. BMW claims a range of 80-100 miles on a charge for this uniquely styled hatchback. The i3 is the only EV to offer an optional gasoline engine that essentially turns it into a plug-in hybrid with virtually unlimited range, though it uses much more energy while running on gas.
• Chevrolet Spark EV: 118 e-mpg; $26,820. Sold only in California and Oregon, this subcompact hatchback is estimated to run for 82 miles on a charge.
• Fiat 500e: 116 e-mpg; $31,800. Offered only in California and Oregon, this cute little coupe gets a projected 87 miles on a charge.
• Nissan Leaf: 114 e-mpg; $29,010. One of the most affordable EVs, the curiously curvy Leaf is rated to run for 84 miles on a charge.
• Mitsubishi i-MiEV: 112 e-mpg; $22,995. Sold nationally, this is the cheapest way to own an EV this side of buying a golf cart, though it’s about as satisfying as driving one, and runs for only an expected 62 miles on a charge.
• Smart ForTwo Electric Drive: 107 e-mpg; $25,000. Available as either a tiny two-seat coupe or the only EV convertible on the market, it’s rated to run for 68 miles on a charge and is sold only in California, Oregon and eight Northeastern states.
• Kia Soul Electric: 105 e-mpg; $33,700. Only offered via select California Kia dealers, the funky styled Soul EV delivers an estimated 93 miles of operating range on a charge.
• Ford Focus Electric: 105 e-mpg; $35,170. Available nationwide, Ford says the EV version of the compact Focus sedan can run for around 76 miles on a charge and reach a top speed of 84 mph.
• Tesla Model S: 89-95 e-mpg; $69,900. The dramatically cast Model S luxury/sport EV delivers a stunning 208-265-mile operating range depending on which of two available battery packs are chosen, with a 0-60 mph time in as little as 4.2 seconds.
• Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive: 84 e-mpg; $41,150. Offered only in California, Oregon and eight Northeastern states, this crisply styled four-door hatchback is estimated to run for 87 miles on a charge.
• Toyota RAV4 EV: 76 e-mpg; $49,800. Sold only in California, it’s based on the previous generation RAV4 crossover and is costly, but delivers an estimated 103 miles on a charge.
Source: http://www.nwitimes.com/business/transportation/cars/most-efficient-electric-cars-with-zero-gasoline-and-emissions-evs/article_9976edf9-5996-567d-aef8-6b5002c9a782.html
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