Within the next several years, the electric vehicle market is poised to explode, with a variety of additional vehicle launches starting as early as this year. The options to green your commute will be more plentiful than ever.

2012 Ford Focus Electric

If you’ve been watching Ford lately, you probably knew that the automaker, which has been at the forefront of technology and efficient engine production, wouldn’t be far behind the first adopters in offering a green vehicle. The 2012 Focus Electric will launch in New York and California before the end of the year, with a broader launch scheduled for next spring. Spring 2012 launch markets include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington D.C.

The five-door Ford Focus Electric will be a domestic competitor to the Nissan Leaf. It features a comparable electric powertrain with a 23 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and 123-hp electric motor that provide up to 100 miles of zero-emissions range, as advertised by Ford. The car will have a top speed of 84 mph, according to a listing by the EPA.

The Focus Electric will be equipped with a variety of Ford’s latest technological features including the MyFord Touch infotainment system with eight-inch touch display and compatible smartphone apps for checking on things like charging status. The available 240-volt charging station will offer charging times between three to four hours. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but we’d expect it to be competitive with the 2012 Leaf’s $36,050.

2012 Mitsubishi iMiev

Mitsubishi calls its i-Miev subcompact the most affordable EV in America, and indeed its $29,125 base price (before tax credits) is nearly $7,000 less than the 2012 Nissan Leaf base price. The i-Miev will launch in early 2012. Mitsubishi’s first EV offers a class-leading 112 mpg-e fuel economy rating (compared to the Nissan Leaf’s 99 mpg-e), but a smaller EPA-listed range of 62 miles (compared to the Leaf’s 73 miles).

Unlike other EVs with a more traditional front-wheel-drive layout, the Mitsubishi i-Miev uses a rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive configuration that Mitsubishi says improves handling and frees up interior space. The i-Miev offers three driving modes to help drivers optimize performance and efficiency. It seats four with cargo space in the hatch. Features include a remote control and available HDD navigation. The EPA lists top speed at 80 mph. 

2013 Toyota RAV4 EV

The 2013 RAV4 EV is actually an EV take-two. Toyota built and leased an electric RAV4 all the way back in the EV prehistoric times of 1997. Obviously enough, the latest RAV4 EV will be well advanced from that predecessor, trading in the nickel-metal-hydride for a Tesla-sourced powertrain. The RAV4 will be the first electric crossover when it hits the market and will offer up to 100 miles of range.

Toyota is still testing the RAV4 EV and finalizing the details. According to its website, a production-ready version of the model should debut next year. Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that launch time frame when speaking with media in October, indicating sales will begin next year. Currently the electric RAV4 offers the same acceleration and cargo space as the gas-powered version, despite the more than 200 lbs. added by the battery.

Earlier this year, Popular Mechanics did a test drive of a RAV4 EV prototype and was impressed with the model’s handling and acceleration, listing its main grievance as the age-old “limited range” dilemma that affects every current EV. Expect this one to be among the most expensive mainstream EVs when it hits the market.

Tesla Model S

In addition to helping Toyota develop the RAV4 EV, Tesla will launch its second model next year. The Model S, expected to hit the market in mid-2012, is a premium-level sedan that seats five or an optional seven. It doesn’t entirely abandon the sportiness of Tesla’s original Roadster, offering a 5.6-second 0-to-60-mph time and a 130-mph top speed, but adds some space and practicality. The Model S enjoys a near-50 percent price reduction from the Roadster, with prices starting at $57,400.

The Model S is a few steps above mainstream EVs like the Leaf and Focus, and it offers the performance to command premium pricing. In addition to its quick acceleration and high top speed (for an EV), the Model S offers a much better range than cheaper EVs, with three trim levels boasting between 160 miles and 300 miles. Elon Musk recently told reporters that Tesla will build a high-performance Model S Sport, which will hit 60 mph in around 4.5 seconds.

Tesla is also planning to launch a crossover concept this year. Called the Model X, the crossover will use the same platform as the Model S but will gain extra size and utility.

Honda Fit EV

Honda combines some of the design and features from its other green vehicles in the Fit EV. The electric Fit features the same five-seat layout as the hybrid Fit and borrows the three-mode (economy, normal and sport) driving system from the CR-Z sport hybrid. The car will offer an EPA-estimated 70 miles of range and 90-mph top speed. The Fit EV lithium-ion battery will charge in 12 hours via conventional 120-volt outlet and in around six hours via 240-volt adapter.

The Fit will feature a remote control that delivers information about charging status and allows the driver to start up the air conditioning system. A dashboard display and smartphone app will show information about battery life so that drivers can better optimize run time—by shutting off certain components, for instance. The satellite navigation system includes a charging-station locator function. The Fit is scheduled for US launch in 2012.

For most prospective EV buyers range is an exceedingly important factor. Nissan pegs the LEAF’s electric range between 62 and 138 miles when fully charged. Why the fluctuation?

Vehicle speed has the largest impact on energy use (whether vehicle is gas or electric). The reasons why you see less mpg at 70 mph than at 55 are the same factors in an EV. So the most prominent variables affecting EV range are speed and the use of heating, and to a lesser extent, air conditioning. Like an internal combustion engine-powered vehicle (ICE), an EV expends more energy going uphill than it does on a level road. Unlike an ICE-powered vehicle, EVs actually can regenerate energy on downhill sections.

Your website states that “100 miles is more than enough!” Is it really? What do you recommend people do when they want to take the occasional road trip with their LEAF?

Studies of conventional vehicle driving patterns find that 72% of American drivers travel less than 40 miles a day and 95 percent drive less than 100 miles a day. The network of DC fast chargers (480V) is expanding, making driving an EV between cities easier by the month. That said, most LEAF owners have at least one ICE vehicle in their household, which is an option for long trips. But early owner surveys are showing us that the Leaf usually becomes the primary-use car in these households. What owners find is that with the 37 to 40 miles of driving they are doing in a typical day, the Leaf is more than capable of doing it with ease.

What happens if a driver runs out of juice while on the road?

It’s the same thing that happens when you run out of gas. You’ve ignored multiple warnings and when you coast to a stop you call for help. We offer free roadside assistance and companies like AAA and Cross Country are introducing mobile charging into their tow truck fleets. With an on-board battery pack or generator you get a roadside charge to get you home. Just like picking up couple gallons of gas to make it to the next pump. 

For electric vehicles to be viable, ample charging stations need to exist. Is Nissan actively investing in this infrastructure, lobbying the government or otherwise facilitating its creation?

Absolutely. We’ve established over 80 global partnerships and counting. In the U.S., we have more than 28 partnerships. Starting back in 2008 we signed our first partnership with the state of Oregon to work together to make zero emission mobility a reality. Since then our holistic approach involves states, cities, utilities, economic development offices, regulatory boards, even housing authorities. We are partners in the largest deployment of public charging stations, multiple solar charging projects, Oak Ridge National Labs, and we’re now in an electric vehicle taxi project with the city of New York. 

Ford just announced the release of their 2012 Focus Electric. They claim their charging technology can power the vehicle in half the time it takes the LEAF (more than three hours). What technologies are Nissan pursuing to improve electric vehicle range?

Nissan LEAF offers ability to DC fast charge (480V). In fact, over 90% of LEAF owners have the ability to quick charge. You can get about a day’s worth of range in about five minutes. Ford Focus does not have the capability. With a DC fast charge, you can fully charge in under 30 minutes, much faster than Ford’s 3+ hours.

Their 2x claim only applies to charging with 240v power, and it will apply for less than a year. When we begin to build Nissan LEAF in the US by the end of 2012, we will offer the same 240V charging speed and Focus EV will still not have the option to DC quick charge.

Zero-emission mobility is the centerpiece of your company’s green technologies future. With the mass production of the LEAF and Nissan’s commitment to a growing range of electric vehicles, do you see EVs making up a large percentage of your sales in the coming years? Can you give an estimate 5 or 10 years down the road?

Every journey begins with a single step. Our CEO Carlos Ghosn has stated that the introduction of EVs into the marketplace will happen at a very deliberate pace. The Nissan-Renault Alliance’s stated goal is to have 1.5 million EVs on the road worldwide by 2016. The total industry volume of just the U.S. market alone is 13 – 14 million new vehicles per year. We believe things will begin to change quickly after 2016. Mr. Ghosn has also set a target of 10% market share for EVs by 2020.

With growth in the single household and elderly populations, Nissan’s New Mobility Concept envisages ultra-compact two-seaters as becoming more popular. Are these vehicles scheduled for production anytime soon?

We can’t comment on future product timing, but concepts like Pivo 3 are real-world solutions to future mobility that our company continues to refine and develop.

As part of its Zero Emission vision, Nissan is taking a “Holistic Approach.” In this sense, what is meant by holistic?

Nissan plans to introduce four EVs by 2015. At the same time, we are developing gas-electric hybrid systems, advanced fuel saving CVT transmissions and other alternative energy mobility systems that will reduce consumption. Nissan is committed to lowering our global carbon footprint – in manufacturing plants, in office buildings, in our workforce behaviors and processes. If you visit the Smyrna manufacturing plant where the LEAF will be built next year, you’ll see a commitment to recycling, composting and energy conservation that isn’t easily done in a huge 30-year old facility. We support projects like the Urban Green Lab in Nashville, the city’s first community center dedicated to sustainable living. Nissan has received an Energy Star “Partner of the Year” designation the past two years, and we are continually seeking new ways to become a sustainable organization.

Sure, you can make it to work and back on one charge, but what happens when you need to stop at the grocery store? And the dry cleaners. And the post office. Oh, you forgot that package you were going to mail back at the office. Can you make it? Time is ticking, and that battery isn’t going to charge itself. Where’s the nearest charging station?

EV range anxiety is one of the biggest roadblocks to buying electric. The simple fact is that batteries are more limited in range than a 16-gallon tank of gas. So while you’re saving the environment and keeping money in your wallet, you still have this looming fear of running out of juice while out and about.

Recent reports say most EV drivers have some anxiety about range just after making their purchase, but after three months or so, they get a better feel for their vehicle, and planning ahead becomes second nature.

“You can see within three months that there are people adapting really quickly to electric cars and seeing how they (in turn) adapt to their lives,” said Andrew Everett, head of transport at the Technology Strategy Board, a UK-based research facility. “This surprised a lot of us — and the ease with which people adapted surprised us as well.”

The transition from gas to electric can be unsettling when distance matters. But no worries; the smartphone has your back, and the number of public charging stations is growing every day.  And there’s a bevy of applications out there for iPhone and Android-based operating systems to help you find them all. Many of the top apps cross over into both markets. Here’s a review of the top five EV-car charge-station finder apps, all of which are free downloads for the iPhone:

1. CarStations is one of the newer apps, but the site it’s connected with (http://carstations.com) has one of the more mature communities of EV enthusiasts out there contributing to its open-source list of stations. CarStations aims to create a community of EV drivers who share car-charging station locations by using their smartphones to pinpoint them, and can leave comments about their experience, along with other helpful content such as pictures, costs incurred, or if it’s near a great coffee shop.

Instructions: After downloading, open the app and click on the settings. An info box will pop up, asking if you want the map to show you only charging stations offering a J1772 charging standard — which is a nice feature. Click yes or no, then go to the main menu by clicking the home icon. Make sure to adjust the radius around your location in the settings.  The default setting is 100 miles, which can make it look like there are a lot of stations around, but in reality you could be out of luck. You can either search by city or click the map nearby to pinpoint your location. Zoom in to click the orange charge icon to get information (address, phone number, etc.) for each charging station. Once you find charging stations in your area, add them to your favorites by clicking the lightning bolt logo in the top right corner while looking at the charging station. You can toggle between list mode and map mode using the icons in the navigation bar at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Impressions: In my experience with iPhone apps (I regularly use about 15 daily), simplicity is key. In that respect, this app is a clear winner. It starts up fast, there are no advertisements and there is no lag while toggling through different charging stations. It also lets you filter easily to find the right kind of charging station for your car. However, what I would like to see added to this app is the ability for users to add more information about the charging stations. It’s easy to do from the website, but the smartphone app doesn’t have these features. An “add-your-own-photo” feature would be great, and I hear it’s in the works.  This would let users show off their ride as well as help others out if a plugin is in a tricky location. This app is fun to use and has great visuals. There are good details provided for most of the stations, and it seems a lot of work is being done to list new stations as quickly as they are built. When compared with other apps, it features some of the largest numbers of stations within the USA.

2. Recargo, as with many of the EV car-charger station apps on the market, wants users to join their “community.” This app is designed to have people check-in at charging stations, share their thoughts and comments and upload a photo. A welcome feature is the integration with TomTom’s and Navigon’s iOS apps, allowing users to get fast directions to the nearest station. And while you’re waiting at the doctor’s office, this app lets you read the latest EV car news from PluginCars.com and updates from Recargo users.

Instructions: Once opened, this app asks for permission to pinpoint your current location — click “yes.”  It is defaulted to find charging stations within six miles, but will list below at least 20 stations within 80 miles. Click the map icon for a map view of the one-mile radius around your current location. Zoom out accordingly. After clicking on a desired charging location, you will see the station’s address, how many people have checked in at the location, and any comments or photos they added. If you want to check in and leave comments or photos, the app will prompt you to create an account, which requires a username, email, password and zip code. You can also add your vehicle information and an avatar. If you choose, the app’s users can contact you via the email address provided — you can turn that option off, if you want.

Impressions: This app has a very simple, yet modern look. There are no complaints on its user interface or usability. It runs quickly with no lag. When clicking on news articles in the app’s news section, a basic browser pops up and displays the article quickly on a 3G network (even faster on WiFi). My initial impression is this is a great app for EV car users. I like that users can check in, and that it tracks user activity by location. Knowing the station’s check-in history is helpful because it shows when people are charging their cars. So, if you’re at the mall and the charging spot was taken when you pulled in, you can see when people check out, provided they remembered to check-out on the app. Like any of the apps that encourage people to interact within the “EV car community,” it can only get better with time, as more people submit more information.

3. PlugShare touts itself as the “world’s largest electric vehicle charging network,” with more than 2,500 charging locations at your fingertips. The number is rather misleading because it lets app users count their home as a charging station, and even submit their personal address. (Knock, knock.  Who’s there? “Hi, I was driving, was low on juice, can I plug in?” Blank stare.) Conclusion: Don’t pull into a random driveway that has a charging station featured on the map unless you know that person.

Instructions: This app overwhelms you with a cluster of green and blue icons for the entire United States, including the Virgin Islands. Come on Montana, you’re short on charge stations! After clicking the pinpoint icon in the bottom left of the app, you’ll see your local blue dot and all stations around your location. You must create an account and login to view the blue icons, which are personal home addresses. Green icons, indicating public charging stations, include the type of charge and an address. Clicking ‘Get Directions” exits the app and brings you to Google Maps.

Impressions: Messy, cluttered and, in my opinion, annoying. To have the app open to a map is a bad idea — especially if you have only a few charging stations in your location. It takes a few seconds to load the map, and even more time to load the 2,500+ icons. Letting people add their personal charging stations to the network is a complete waste of space — who is going to drive up to a house for power? I suppose, to be fair, if you ran out of gas, you could go to a home and ask for help. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet a “Good Samaritan.” The app crashed three times while I was playing around with it — which was a first during the app review experience. I think this can be attributed to all the information stored in its network. The worst part is that there is no list mode, so you’re forced to use the crash-prone map. Surprisingly, this app has gotten great reviews from users on iTunes. By far, it has the most users, but I’m still calling it a work in progress.

4. ChargePoint is one of the few apps targeted at a specific charging station, and is called (you guessed it!) ChargePoint. A little background on this California-based company: ChargePoint sells meters for about $3,000 to cities, organizations and private business owners. ChargePoint users buy credits that are needed to charge at these meters, and in return users can not only charge their car, but also see real-time availability of the meters. Users can even reserve a station for a certain time. You can read about this service on a previous EV Authority article. This app brings all the information to your smartphone, which makes it easy to know when your car is fully charged or when a spot becomes available. Note: This app is iPad compatible.

Instructions: When you open the app, it asks you to input your login information. If you don’t have an account, go to MyChargePoint.net or click “skip” to see what the app has to offer. The map is defaulted to find ChargePoint stations within 12 miles of your current location. Pinch to zoom out and see what’s available and what’s in use — green means “available” and blue means “in use.” Remember, this app only shows ChargePoint stations — which are quite common in bigger cities. One of the coolest features of this app is its trip-mapping feature. Click the icon at the bottom and you’ll be asked to input your destination, then it will help map a route which includes all the charging stations along the way.

Impressions: While this is limited to just their own stations, it’s a great app for ChargePoint users. You can get a “ChargePass” key fob that you swipe at the station, which then sends an alert from the app or a text message to let you know when the car is fully charged — a huge plus. The ease of the app and its ability to show you what’s available and what’s currently being used makes it a great app. If that’s not enough bells and whistles for you, the app also can provide turn-by-turn directions. One downside is that there is no multitasking — if you exit the app, you’re back to square one. That’s unfortunate, because outside of banking apps, multitasking should be a common function on all apps. Loading the map is also slow; it took me about 20 seconds to find my location (on WiFi) and nearby stations. Other than these two setbacks, though, this is a solid app.

5. EV Charger Finder is definitely the most basic of free EV charging-station finder apps. It takes user’s contributions and puts them in a database, then lets you filter the information by geography and charger adapter type. To contribute to the database, use www.EVChargerMaps.com, which is simply a Google Map with pinpoints on it.

Instructions: This app is definitely easy to use, because there isn’t much to it. No bells or whistles here. It is, however, difficult to see what’s closest to you. The app opens to a list of cities in alphabetical order (which is rather useless, because most users are only concerned about how far away is the next station is.) Then, by clicking the distance icon, you can see which charging stations are closest to you. After clicking on a location, you will see a map for the location and its address, along with a phone number if available. Click “Get Directions,” and you’ll be asked to go to Google Maps. That’s really all there is to it.

Impressions: Where do I start? This app is disorganized, slow and has a small database of charging stations. , It could be more helpful as more users add stations, but only as helpful as its usability.  In addition, the, map view is slow and clunky and opens to nearly half the world, like the CarStations App. Zooming is slower than with other apps. One positive is the comments that users are leaving, e.g.,“The ClipperCreak CS-40 station now has a cord management system installed. Station was used during the Nissan Leaf Tour event on February 17. Everything is working fine.” Those types of comments make station finder apps much more useful. Unfortunately, though, in my opinion this app just doesn’t cut it.

Regenerative Braking

Regenerative brakes commonly use an electric motor to generate electricity. A fundamental law of physics is that energy cannot be destroyed. When you hit the brakes, the kinetic energy from the car’s forward movement gets converted to heat through friction.

When using regenerative brakes, the car’s electric motor goes into reverse, causing the car to slow down. In addition to braking the car, the mechanical energy from the reverse spinning of the motor generates electrical energy that recharges the car’s battery.

Flywheels

Flywheels utilize a rotor spinning at high speeds to provide electrical energy. It’s an alternative to regenerative braking systems that’s far more efficient because the energy isn’t converted several times the way the hybrid’s systems do.

According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, transforming energy from one form to another causes significant energy loss. A typical hybrid regenerative braking system converts the kinetic energy from braking to electrical energy in a motor then to chemical energy to be stored by the battery. To actually use that power it then has to be converted back again. That inefficiency explains the limitations of conventional regenerative braking.

Flywheels solve that problem by reducing the amount of energy conversion or eliminating it altogether by storing the kinetic energy that comes from braking into a fast spinning rotor. That rotor, spinning 60,000 RPM in Flybrid’s case, reduces the need for a battery.

Flywheels aren’t anything new. Switzerland used the technology back in the 1950s for their gyrobuses. It’s used to some degree in almost all cars with manual transmissions to keep a small amount of energy stored to prevent stalling. Even little toy cars use flywheels to propel them forward after charging them up with forward pushes.

But the flywheel systems that could provide any significant power to a vehicle were limited in their range of application because they were heavy and suffered from high gyroscopic flywheel forces that limited their performance. Flybrid engineers have developed solutions to these problems to create a high-performing technology with mass appeal.

Flybrid Systems

According to Flybrid’s website, “high-speed flywheel based energy storage systems using Flybrid technology are powerful, small and light giving a better power to weight ratio than existing automotive hybrid technologies.” Flybrids are so effective because the rate of power that gets transmitted between the flywheel and vehicle wheels is limited only by the capability of the continuously variable transmission, which is highly efficient.

Flybrid claims that their product can deliver more than 20% reductions in both fuel consumption and emissions at a far lower cost than typical hybrid regenerative braking systems. Their performance comes from their high efficiency — the system delivers as much as 70% of braking energy back to the wheels.

With the Formula 1 test drive a success, Flybrid has been working with car manufacturers such as Jaguar and are expecting to have their first road-ready vehicles on the streets in 2013. Flybrid’s flywheel technology can have a huge impact on the fledgling EV industry that’s still trying to solve the battery dilemma. Limited range can be solved by increasing the size, weight, and cost of batteries, which ends up decreasing EV’s efficiency. The Flybrid System isn’t a battery replacement, but as the EV industry grows, any technology that reduces the need for batteries will be one that’s highly sought after.

With one of the world’s largest car manufacturers shifting their focus towards producing hybrids, it’s safe to say we’re about to see a lot more Priuses and other hybrids on the road in years to come. Here’s a look at what to expect from owning a Prius (as of 2011):

Purchase:

2012 price (new): Starting at $23,520 US + tax (excluding the $760 Delivery, Processing and Handling Fee for getting the car from the plant to the dealership [price varies according to dealer]).

Tax rebates: The USA’s federal tax credit was phased out on December 31, 2010 for hybrids. See State and Federal Hybrid Incentives for credits available from individual states. The 2012 Prius plug-in model, however, will be eligible for the most recent tax credits announced, including a $2,500 federal tax credit.

Performance:

Engine: 1.8 Liter Aluminum DOHC 16-Valve Variable-Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), 98 hp @ 5,200 rpm (73 kW @ 5,200 rpm), 105 lb.-ft. @ 4,000 rpm (142 N•m @ 4,000 rpm).

Mileage: 51/48/50 (estimated mpg city/highway/combined).

Warranty:

36 months/36,000 miles warranty on all parts. Hybrid-related parts are covered for 8 years/100,000 miles.

Depreciation:

You don’t want to finish a lease owing more than the car is worth, which makes gauging the depreciation rate so important. According to Consumer Reports, depreciation is the single largest cost to owning a car. Most cars depreciate approximately 65% over five years, which comprises approximately 46% of total ownership costs.

Similarly, most cars depreciate 10-20% in their first year. The Prius’ popularity and great reputation as a well-built, reliable vehicle places it at the lower end of that spectrum. Refer to the following chart for an idea of the Prius’ depreciation rate (based on Kelley Blue Book values for an excellent-condition model purchased from a dealer with typical equipment).

Used Toyota Prius Prices by Year:

• 2010: $21,785
• 2009: $18,630
• 2008: $17,070
• 2007: $16,135
• 2006: $15,700
• 2005: $13,620
• 2004: $11,120
• 2003: $8,315
• 2002: $7,010
• 2001: $6,135

Reliability:

Toyota enjoys a great reputation for reliability and the Prius, in its decade-plus existence, is no exception. Both Consumer Reports and consumers themselves have consistently given the car top rankings, disproving the myths surrounding battery life that cropped up early in its existence.

To answer the battery question, Consumer Reports hooked up the battery of a 2002 model with 208,000 miles on it to their instruments and compared the results with those done a decade ago with a new model. What did they find? Almost no difference whatsoever between the battery performance and mileage of the two cars: 40.4 mpg for the old model, 40.6 mpg for the new model.

Parts:

Batteries: The batteries are expected to last the lifetime of the vehicle without degradation in quality. History backs up that claim, as Toyota states that not a single battery has had to be replaced because of malfunction or defect.

Engine: The life of a Prius’ engine is less stressful than that of a standard car, since it isn’t being run for as long. Toyota upped their oil change requirement to every 10,000 miles in 2010.

Reliability Index gathered the following statistics on the rate-of-parts-breakdown when testing Prius’ with an average age of 6.77 years and 64,000 miles:

With the Prius, the consumer gets a well-equipped, comfortable ride that offers excellent fuel efficiency. And like many other Toyota models, it has earned a reputation as a highly reliable, durable vehicle that’s built to last.

Resources:

• Toyota Prius
• PRIUSchat
• Kelley Blue Book
• Consumer Reports
• Reliability Index

Before we get into the review and head-to-head match, note that the $39,995 is after delivery fees but before tax incentives. Both the 2012 Volt and 2012 Focus Electric will be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit, bringing pricing down to about $32,500.

That being said, the price any one person will pay for either the Volt or the Focus will be the same. So which green, electrically driven car is better? There’s not necessarily a definitive answer to that question, but here is how the two $40,000 green vehicles stack up.

2012 Chevy Volt

Overview

It’s hard to argue against the Chevy Volt being the most versatile green car. It will never be quite as clean or eco-friendly as a pure electric vehicle, thanks to the 2.0-liter gas engine it carries for energy generation. However, it does offer 35 all-electric miles, which is enough for many daily commuters, and a combined fuel economy of 60 mpg. Because of its gas engine, it’s actually able to act like any other car, carrying passengers close to 400 miles on a gallon of gas + full charge. And when you run out of gas, you can simply refuel at a gas station.

In the end, the Volt offers a car that’s cleaner than any other hybrid on the road but much more capable distance-wise than any current-generation electric vehicle. It’s an attractive mix.

Specifications

The four-seat Volt is powered by a 149-horsepower electric motor that also produces 273 lb-ft of torque. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is only used for powering the motor when the battery is depleted and does not drive the wheels. The motor can power the car to speeds of up to 100 mph, according to Chevy’s test information. The Volt’s 16 kWh lithium-ion battery charges in 10 hours via a standard 120 Volt electric outlet or about four hours with the optional 240-volt charger.

The EPA estimates the Chevy Volt will cost $650 to fuel annually when driven on electricity alone and around $1,500 when driven on gas alone. The actual cost will vary based upon how far you drive each day and whether or not you use the gas engine regularly or rely completely on the batteries.

One thing that the price tag does not show is the fact that Chevy made the navigation system and Bose audio system optional on the 2012 Volt in order to drop the price below the $40,000 mark. If you wish to add those options, you’ll spend close to $2,500. The 2011 model had the two systems standard but started at $41,000. The 2012 Volt did add some features, however, including an upgraded keyless entry system and MyLink system, which provides smartphone connectivity, Bluetooth audio streaming and voice controls.

2012 Ford EV

Overview

There’s no question that the Ford Focus, like other fully electric vehicles, is a cleaner, more economical option than hybrids like the Chevy Volt. It uses zero gasoline and produces zero tailpipe emissions. If you are committed to making your commute as clean as possible, an electric vehicle is the best way to do it.

That’s assuming that you have a short commute, though. While electric charging stations are being built around the country, finding a place to charge on a given commute is far from a given. And even if you do find one, the Level 2 charging stations being built now are not powerful enough to provide any significant charging—according to the government, you’ll get about 15 miles of driving with one hour of charging from a Level 2 Station.

Lack of charging leaves you dependent upon the battery’s range. Ford estimates that the Focus Electric can go about 100 miles, but we have a feeling that once the EPA tests it, the number will be closer to the Nissan Leaf’s EPA-rated 73 miles. If you work in town or in a neighboring town and don’t need the car for long commutes,  73 miles might work fine. But if you drive long distances, even occasionally, it may be too limited. Without a gas engine to offer extended range, you simply won’t be able to drive those distances.

Specifications

The five-seat Focus Electric is powered by a 123–hp electric motor and 23 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The car’s top speed is 84 mph.

Unlike the 2012 Volt, the Focus includes a navigation system, as well as a Sony audio system, standard. While it’s difficult to compare audio systems without actually listening to them, the inclusion of a navigation system on the Volt would cost around $2,000. The Focus Electric comes standard with the MyFord Touch system, an infotainment system that includes smartphone connectivity and battery status information.

Ford is advertising the speed of Focus Electric charging as one of its attributes, but this requires the purchase of a $1,500 240-volt system. That system charges the 23 kWh battery in three to four hours.

The EPA has not yet rated the Focus Electric (it will have to do that before the car goes on sale), but it estimates the annual fuel cost of the Nissan Leaf, which has a very similarly sized electric powertrain, at $612. Ford claims its miles-per-gallon equivalent (mpg-e) will be competitive with other electric vehicles, which means it should fall in the 90s.

Conlusion

If the Ford Focus and Chevy Volt had the same type of powertrain, the advantage would be in the Focus’ corner. Unlike the Volt, which lost standard navigation to meet the same price point, the Focus comes complete with a navigation system. It also seats five to the Volt’s four, a factor that makes it more family friendly.

Of course, the two powertrains are not equal. As such, it’s a little surprising Ford priced the Focus so high. Chevy announced 2012 Volt pricing back in the summer, but you’d have thought that Ford announced first. When it comes to range and versatility, the Focus Electric simply cannot compete with a plug-in hybrid like the Volt. Four hundred to 100 miles isn’t a competition; it’s a landslide.

If Ford really wanted the Focus Electric to be competitive, it should have priced it closer to the $36,000 2012 Nissan Leaf, which is a pure EV very similar to the Focus. The Focus Electric just doesn’t offer the same experience as a car with a gas engine generator.

If you have a short, steady commute and don’t mind trading the ability to take longer trips in your car for the cleanest-driving option on the market, the Focus Electric is certainly worth a look. Before buying, compare it to the Nissan Leaf, which is a few thousand dollars cheaper, but offers a similar driving experience.

For a car that has the driving versatility and range of a gasoline car with class-leading cleanliness and efficiency, the Chevy Volt is the best option available.

Driven by the EU’s aggressive CO2 targets, the car market will experience a significant shift towards low carbon emitting vehicles that use alternative fuels and powertrain technologies, as well as conventional cars that have increased efficiency. The report examined a few key areas of the low carbon car market such as car technology, cost, emissions, and incentives.

Technology

The research team based their comparisons of low carbon vehicles on an evolved version of the conventional car that will have a much improved powertrain and aerodynamics and will be composed of lightweight materials.

Weight reduction is key to future vehicle improvements. A study by Lotus found that a 38% non-drivetrain weight reduction is possible. Using that data, the research team projected that non-drivetrain weight can be reduced 14% by 2020 and 28% by 2030.

Though the size of vehicles has increased in the past two decades, it has recently leveled off and is not expected to increase given road width, parking restrictions, and a heightened focus on vehicle efficiency.

Vehicles of the future will experience the greatest improvements in aerodynamics (4.4% by 2030), rolling (6.7% by 2030), and driveline transmission (0.9% by 2030) for a total vehicle efficiency improvement of 12% by 2030. Other improvements include stop start functionality to reduce idling and fuel efficiency improvements.

The Nissan Leaf electric vehicle (EV) has a range of 160 km — the distance that 90% of annual mileage falls within. Range improvement for EVs in that class is expected to rise to 240 km by 2030. For those wanting a greater range and for whom cost isn’t an issue, hydrogen vehicles will be the best bet.

Cost

Within the next decade, car buyers won’t be looking at sticker price the same way. Since vehicles will have higher upfront costs but lower annual costs to run, the focus will shift to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — a metric that takes both purchase price and annual maintenance costs into account.

Low carbon car prices are expected to plummet to a level most car buyers could afford. As conventional cars rise £1700 ($2650 USD) in price 10 to 20 years from now, hybrids are expected to drop £250 ($390 USD). EV prices will nose-dive £16730 ($26,100) from £37220 ($58,060 USD) to £20490 ($31,960 USD) and hydrogen vehicles will drop a whopping £89,200 ($139,140 USD) from £111,330 ($173,660 USD) to £22,130 ($34,520 USD).

By 2030, it’s estimated that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) will have a higher TCO than EVs since the extra battery capacity will end up being cheaper than producing a hybrid powertrain.

Though low carbon cars will largely close the capital cost gap, they will face rising insurance rates. Increased repair costs and higher purchase prices for low carbon vehicles will lead to yet higher insurance rates (already a 200% increase in real terms in the past 17 years) that threaten to offset a decent chunk of low carbon vehicles’ fuel savings.

Emissions

Conventional cars are expected to get a lot cleaner by 2030 with their CO2 emissions dropping from 138 gCO2/km to 74 gCO2/km (for a medium-sized vehicle). Providing for 10% biofuel by energy, conventional cars overall will likely drop from 144 gCO2/km to 71 gCO2/km in 2030 — a large enough change to meet the EU’s new sales fleet average emissions 2020 target of 95 gCO2/km.

The research team picked the PHEV as the best choice for cost-effective emissions reductions since it can electrify a high percentage of trips relatively cost effectively as compared to RE-EVs that emit less, but cost more due to the larger battery.

Incentives

Low carbon cars will continue to need financial support in order for wide adoption to occur. Incentives worth £870 ($1350 USD) per year will be required for a PHEV to break even with a conventional car in 2025, whereas a pure EV will require £1590 ($2480 USD). In contrast, a hybrid will only require £360 ($560 USD) of support and hydrogen vehicles top the list at £2020 ($3150 USD).

Given energy insecurity and rapid-fire technological progress, guessing what the car market will look like in a decade or two is no easy task. Though many assumptions needed to be made, Element Energy provides a comprehensive look into the low carbon car market of the future with their report. The cost gap is closing fast, but skyrocketing insurance costs may threaten to largely negate fuel cost savings.

Incentives will still be necessary for low carbon cars to succeed, according to the report’s 10 to 20-year time horizon. As long as governments worldwide provide proper financial incentives and impose strict CO2 emission standards, the low carbon car will soon play a strong supporting role in the future cast of characters.

So what cities made the Ford list? (in no particular order):

• Atlanta
• Hartford, Conn
• Raleigh, N.C
• Austin, Texas
• Honolulu
• Richmond, Va.
• Baltimore
• Houston
• Sacramento, Calif.
• Boston
• Indianapolis
• San Diego
• Charlotte, N.C.
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco Bay Area
• Chicago
• New York
• Seattle
• Dallas
• Orlando, Fla.
• Washington, D.C.
• Denver
• Phoenix
• Detroit
• Portland, Ore.

It’s not surprising, pretty much every major city across the country made this list. So, who’s really the best? Well, General Electric made their own top 10 list of the best cities for electric vehicles — but based it on completely different criteria. GE and Deloitte researchers examined 2009 data from the U.S. Census that showed commuting habits for the 25 largest U.S. metro areas for the population within 50 miles of the city’s center. Results start with the best city suited for electric vehicles based on commuters:

1. Dallas
2. Houston
3. Detroit
4. St. Louis
5. Atlanta

So this list is really more about where EV’s could thrive. Which cities are well “suited” for EVs. And again, all of these cities, minus St. Louis, also made Ford’s list. So it seems like Dallas, Houston, Detroit and Atlanta are leading the pack.

As mentioned previously, most of these top EV cities shouldn’t come as a surprise. They are big cities with huge populations and huge working/commuting populations — of course they have a lot of electric vehicle drivers right? But there is one city that might stand out to you for various reasons: Detroit.

Detroit is the Motor City, but can it get back to its glory days with electric vehicles? According to a report by one of my former colleagues, yes. This past summer, auto executives gave a keynote address at a Detroit Economic Club luncheon, that said Michigan will account for 20 percent of all lithium-ion batteries made for the automotive industry by 2015. Two Michigan companies specifically, A123 Systems and Dow Kokam, are set to manufacture a big chunk of those batteries, to address what experts say is a $15 billion market by 2015.

But being a producer of EV batteries and holding recognition for historically manufacturing gas guzzlers is quite different from actually being an EV friendly city. Sure, the Volt is a great car (and we’re glad it’s finally here after the EV1 fiasco) but is Detroit really a leader in this space? Well, according to the site CarStaions it does contain quite a few charging stations, even rivaling the West Coast of the US. And Chevy Volts, although not hitting certain sales targets (less than half of of the 10,000 goal for 2011), continue to roll off the line in Michigan and have, understandably, become the staple of electric vehicles for the state.

So cheers to Detroit on plugging in and going electric and congrats to the cities that have made these lists. Considering the influence of companies like Tesla and Toyota that have major operations in the Bay Area, along with the abundance of wealthy citizens living there, this is always a geography worth keeping an eye on. Companies like ChargePoint lead the way with networked charging infrastructure and no matter who’s in first, we all win as more clean transportation options reach economies of scale.

The Environmental Report states that “we challenged them [employees] to find opportunities for improving our performance.” How does Toyota challenge its employees to improve its environmental performance?

Toyota employees are empowered every day to suggest ways to reduce waste, eliminate unnecessary steps, save energy, etc., but during plant downtimes when we perform maintenance on machinery or re-tool, employees are challenged to perform a “water blitz” activity or “energy blitz” where teams are formed to compete to find the greatest savings of resources. For example, during one water blitz, employees in one of the paint shops discovered a way to modify spray nozzles to reduce the amount of water used in a water-borne paint process. Another example:  our Georgetown, Kentucky plant conducts a twice-yearly “President’s Shutdown Energy Challenge,” where different shops in the plant compete to reduce energy consumption over the last shutdown period. In our report we mention that the Plastics shop prevailed with a 37% reduction in 2010.

“Partnerships have been instrumental to our success.” How so? 

Among other benefits, we’ve grown to appreciate more and more how partnering with community organizations allows us to share our expertise and at the same time, obtain new perspectives and learn new methods of achieving environmental goals. It’s very easy to write a check and make a donation to a worthy cause or organization, but so much more rewarding if you can work side by side on an issue. In a very practical way, our Prius Plug-in demonstration program, where we place vehicles with a variety of institutions, allows us to obtain real-world feedback and data on the use of what is for us an experimental technology.

Toyota is involved in hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles, and fuel cell hybrids. Of those four, which one is Toyota expecting to be its dominant technology 20 years from now?

Today, Toyota is taking a portfolio approach to the development of alternative fuel vehicles, because we believe different technologies will find applications in different settings, so we will need a range of products. We like to say “right vehicle in the right place at the right time.”  However, we also believe that regardless of fuel choice — gasoline, biofuel, hydrogen, etc. — hybrid technology promises the greatest energy efficiency, which leads to the greatest fuel savings and CO² reduction.

Toyota’s U.S. parts and vehicle distribution centers in the 2011 fiscal year posted a 93% total waste recycling rate. That’s an impressive figure, but what happens to the waste that’s recycled?

For the most part, separated waste is sent to local recyclers. In some instances waste is recycled into paper products like cardboard and paperboard.

Toyota and other auto manufacturers have been taking part in a voluntary program with the U.S. Department of Energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Toyota exceeded its 10% per vehicle GHG reduction target, coming in at 17%. But auto manufacturing is inherently energy-intensive and bound to have a high carbon footprint because of the many inputs. Is Toyota finding innovative ways to reduce its carbon footprint?

Toyota constantly looks for ways to reduce energy consumption, as it is by far our most significant environmental impact. We have made strides by switching to high-efficiency lighting systems, installing solar power systems, purchasing renewable energy, and making significant modifications to heating and cooling systems in our plants.

“We also set targets that transcend the life cycle. In Environmental Management, targets guide work with our suppliers and dealerships.” How do Toyota’s targets guide its suppliers and dealerships?

In 2003 Toyota completed construction of a new office building for our sales headquarters — South Campus, which was awarded U.S. Green Building Council Gold LEED certification.  Ever since then we’ve set targets to build “green” facilities whenever we build or substantially remodel a facility. We were inspired by our success with South Campus to seek U.S. Green Building Council LEED Certification and now have ten such facilities.

We also help our dealers build green facilities by developing guidelines for them to follow. Our Design Departments work closely with the dealers on the process and we now have 15 who have done so.

Toyota sets targets to manage hazardous materials and substances of concern, and we created for our dealers various tools and training systems to help them with these same goals. One is an online clearinghouse of all the local regulations, requirements and environmental, health and safety resources available. Another is Hazmat U, which trains dealer personnel on hazardous material transportation. We also help dealers implement their own recycling programs similar to what we run throughout our operations — 88% of our dealers participate in recycling.

Do you believe Toyota has a role to play in influencing industry in general to adopt stricter environmental standards? If so, how does it do that or plan on doing that?

At Toyota, we have just tried to lead by example: we think that if we can do it, other companies can as well. Industry in general seems aware of the need to be environmentally responsible, certainly this is true of the auto industry. We hope our annual report offers some examples of how we do it here.

Toyota put 31 RAV4 EV Prototype-Phase Zeros on the road in 2011 to encourage the development of electric vehicle infrastructure. As a seven-time winner of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR^® Sustained Excellence Award, Toyota is respected in the cleantech world. Does the company use its good reputation to lobby governments to develop EV or hydrogen infrastructure? If so, can you share some successes Toyota has had?

Toyota is actively involved with organizations such as the Electric Drive Transportation Association, which seeks to encourage government to support the development of advanced technologies. We also seek direct partnerships with universities and agencies, such as the Department of Transportation’s National Labs to work together on specific projects that move us toward the implementation of advanced technologies.

One of the best examples of our preferred approach is the SmartGrid City project in Boulder, Colorado. We placed 10 of our Plug-in Prius prototypes in a demonstration project involving the University of Colorado and the National Renewable Energy Resources Lab. It is the first fully functioning smart grid enabled city in the world. Its goal is to provide increased grid reliability and energy use information. Participating customers are able to remotely control in-home energy management devices.

RASEI, Xcel Energy and Toyota are using the program to gather data on vehicle performance and charging patterns, consumer behavior and preferences, as well as electric utility and customer interactions. The locale offers the additional benefit of monitoring high altitude, cold climate performance of Toyota’s first generation lithium-ion battery.  RASEI is the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI), a new joint venture between the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Toyota is a founding member of the institute.

What are some of Toyota’s key goals and targets for its next five-year plan?

We are in the process of formulating a new set of goals and targets so we don’t have specifics just yet. Water and energy conservation, waste reduction, and partnering with universities, government, and non-profits will continue to shape the big picture at Toyota.

But what about the long-term costs? How will the cost of maintaining an electric vehicle compare over the life of the vehicle to a traditional gas vehicle? While it’s a little early to know for sure since mainstream EVs are too young to be breaking down, a little understanding of electric vehicles provides some big clues.

The Good

According to the US Department of Energy, electric vehicles have one major moving part—the motor. Compare that to the hundreds of moving parts in an internal combustion vehicle, and you already know that wear and tear should be drastically less in an electric vehicle.

Even the motor itself is much lower maintenance when compared to a gas engine. Think about gasoline vehicle maintenance: the most common reason you pop the hood open is to test the fluids and change the oil. Electric motors don’t require oil, so the four-time-a-year process of changing the oil (or paying someone to change it) is eliminated. Electric vehicles also eliminate other fluids like transmission fluid and radiator fluid, leaving only things like brake fluid and windshield wiper fluid to worry about.

Now, think about your last gas vehicle and the dreaded clunk, rattle or pop that sent you on a quick trip to the auto shop. Remember that time you spent in the waiting room anxiously reading the paper while visions of hundred- and thousand-dollar repairs danced through your mind? From the transmission to the alternator to the muffler and exhaust system, most of the biggest worries don’t even exist on an EV. In fact, four out of 10 repairs that Autos.com cites as the most common repairs—oil changes, exhaust system, fuel system and ignition system—don’t apply to electric vehicles. All the parts, valves, filters, hangers, nuts and bolts thereof also don’t apply.

One of the most dreaded repairs on a gasoline vehicle is a transmission overhaul or replacement. While gas vehicles have a five or six (+) speed transmission with all kinds of moving parts, electric vehicles use a much simpler single-speed transmission… At least, more expensive AC motor powered EV’s.

Similarly, while EV brakes will still require maintenance and repair, brake regeneration, a process that captures braking energy ordinarily lost in heat, helps to slow wear on EV brakes.

So what exactly do you need to do? Well, the warranty for the Nissan Leaf’s battery requires that you get the battery checked about once a year. You’ll still need to worry about tire inflation, rotation and replacement. And you’ll have to pop open the hood every now and again to check the windshield wiper and brake fluid. Other than that, the EV is pretty hassle-free.

The Analysis

The problem with directly comparing maintenance and repair costs on electric vehicles with those on gas vehicles is that while we have years upon years of hard information on gas vehicle repairs, we don’t have anything comparable for electric vehicles. Therefore, comparisons are limited to projections and speculation and need to be read as such. Some foremost authorities in automotive costs have, however, provided at least some guidance on the issue.

Earlier this year, Ford did a comparison of maintenance costs between its Ford Focus Electric and its gas Focus over a 10-year, 150,000 mile life cycle. It considered savings in oil changes, air filter replacements, cooling system flushes and transmission check-ups, concluding that the Focus EV owner stands to save about $1,200 in 10 years.

Now, let’s break it down a little further. In 2008, Consumer Reports did an analysis of the cost of car ownership over time. Its analysis was concerned with two types of costs: carrying costs, which relate to depreciation, taxes and interest, and operating costs, which relate to maintenance, fuel, insurance and repairs. While the operating costs rise over time, the analysis showed that they stay pretty steady at an annual rate of about $3,500 to $3,900 over the first eight years.

Using the ~$800 national insurance premium average from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ most recent database, which covers 2006 through 2008, we pull the cost down to $2,700 for maintenance and fuel.

To isolate maintenance costs, we’ll use the 22 mpg new-car average recently identified by both the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and TrueCar.com. Consumer Reports used 12,000 miles per year as its average for calculating annual fuel costs, which brings us to about 545 gallons of gas. Multiply that by the 2008 national gas average (to keep it in the same year as the other data), which based on data from the Energy Information Administration, was around $3.25 per gallon, and we get a total annual fueling cost of $1,772. That leaves $938 per year for maintenance and repairs.

Now to electric vehicles… Edmunds “True Cost to Own” calculator shows a five-year projection of around $2,400 for maintenance costs on a 2011 Nissan Leaf, the only mass-market EV currently on the road. That breaks down to $480 per year, a little more than half the cost of gas vehicle maintenance. Extract that out over 10 years, and you’ve saved $4,600.

Bear in mind, these numbers are just for a quick comparison and are based on many wildly varing projections. Insurance, for instance, varies greatly by region, age, car and other factors; gas prices are constantly in flux; and maintenance costs and warranties vary greatly by car (the maintenance average we got for gas vehicles is an average across various styles and sizes of vehicles, whereas the EV projection is based entirely on the Nissan Leaf).

The best way to get an idea of the overall cost of potential vehicles would be to compare specific models, along with custom information such as your annual number of miles driven and annual insurance premium. Then enter all the data into calculators or comparison charts like those found on Edmunds.com and Consumer Reports.com to get a comparison specific to you.

The Bad

So far, you’re probably thinking that EV owners come out way ahead of gas-vehicle owners right? Fuel is much cheaper; maintenance is much cheaper and easier; and, despite higher base prices, tax incentives help to make electric vehicles competitive with gas models. It’s almost too good to be true.

Indeed, there’s a shadowy gorilla lurking in the garage: the battery. Yes, the lithium-ion batteries that power today’s electric cars are rechargeable, but they are finite—there is a limited number of times that you can recharge them before they become obsolete and must be recycled. The batteries’ ability to hold a charge also diminishes over time, meaning you’ll slowly lose range.

Given that the expense of battery technology is the primary reason that EVs have been slow to evolve and more expensive than gas cars, the fact that you’ll have to replace the battery becomes a rather large, looming maintenance concern.

According to Edmunds’ Auto Observer, replacement battery costs have been estimated as high as $10,000 to $12,000. Other estimates are lower, but still indicate batteries would run several thousand dollars. Considering those prices, the $4,600/10-year maintenance savings we calculated before doesn’t look so big anymore. In fact, it could very well be less than the cost of a replacement battery, which is something that you’re likely to need around the 10-year mark.

Two things to bear in mind, before you think that EVs are a bad deal, consider this: battery costs are widely thought to steadily decline over time as technology develops (think of how much other consumer technologies like computers and cell phones drop in price over the course of time) and pretty much all electric vehicles are brand new or just a few years old, as of 2011. In other words, you shouldn’t have to replace the battery for close to a decade—plenty of time for battery prices to drop and put some serious miles on your car. Also consider that automakers like Nissan and Chevy put solid 100,000-mile, 8-year warranties on their plug-in vehicle batteries, and you can rest easier.

Still, however, the potential cost of a replacement battery or the alternative of shopping for a new car much sooner than you would with a gasoline car are legitimate concerns when considering the lifetime cost of an EV. Until we know for sure how those play out, it’s difficult to directly compare maintenance costs. If a replacement battery were indeed to cost $10,000 without any incentives or buy-back program from the manufacturer, that’s more than double the saved maintenance costs that we calculated over the same 10-year time period.

We’d hope that by the time batteries start needing replacement, they’ll be much cheaper—say $1,000 or less—or battery manufacturers, EV manufacturers, government or any combination thereof will offer enough incentives to lift much of that burden off the back of the consumer.

Long-term maintenance cost remains up in the air for now, but in the interim, it’s clear that EVs will require less time and effort to keep up.