Charged 2010?

Who killed the electric car? I guess nobody yet since electric cars are still hitting the roads. Due to relentless oil price hike in world market, electric-powered vehicles could be a great alternative. They can even save our environment because they don’t produce burnt gases that can cause air pollution and greenhouse effect. Although, the ultimate challenge for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers is to have a safe, powerful and long-life battery.

Anyways, to suffice your curiosity, here are some of the much-awaited electric cars made by the leading car manufacturers today. 2010 is the expected arrival of these autos; so could it be the year for electric cars?

Chevy Volt – Chevy Volt can travel up to 640 miles without a fuel fill-up or a battery recharge according to GM. It is powered by an electric generator that can produce 120 kilowatts of power (160 horsepower). And this car has a 1.0-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine that operates when the battery runs down. The Volt requires less than 6.5 hours to be fully charged.

Saturn Vue Plug-in – This Saturn hybrid car uses lithium-ion batteries that need to charged 4 to 5 hours in order to get 10 miles without using the gasoline engine. It can be recharged by connecting to a standard 110V household electrical outlet.

Toyota Prius Plug-in – The new concept of Toyota Prius Plug-in will be using li-ion battery compared to the current Prius that uses nickel-metal hydride battery. And this plug-in version of hybrid car will go 60 mph in EV mode before engine kicks in according to Toyota.

Dodge EV Concept – Its powerful 200 kW electric-drive motor can generate 650 N•m of torque, allowing Dodge electric car to accelerate up to 60mph in less than 5 seconds. This fast EV car offers a top speed of more than 120 mph, making it a strong competitor for Tesla Roadster.

Chrysler EV Concept – This Chrysler minivan promises to give same 40 miles using pure electric power and will give up to 400 miles with the help of its gas engine. And it uses a 190 kW (255 horsepower) motor, making it powerful to provide 60 mph acceleration in approximately 9 seconds.

Jeep EV Range Concept – This Jeep EV can run up to 40 miles of zero fuel-consumption, zero-emissions, all-electric power. Combining with its diesel engine, it will have a range of 400 miles. And its 200 kW (268 horsepower) electric motor can produce 400 N•m (295 lb.-ft.) of torque.