Chevrolet Volt

GM's second-generation electric car with a backup gas engine is much improved. It is quicker and quieter, rides more comfortably, and has easier-to-use controls. Electric-only range is 50 miles, at which point the engine kicks in to extend the range. It takes 4.5 hours to recharge the car using a 240-volt connection. We got 38 mpg in gas mode. This new 1.5-liter engine acts as a generator, which eliminates the range anxiety common to electric-only vehicles.

The Volt extended-range electric car is quick, quiet, and responsive, and uses a backup gas engine to extend beyond its electric range. Typically it runs for about 35 miles on electric power. Once the lithium-ion battery is depleted, the relatively unrefined 1.4-liter engine turns on to extend the driving range. It takes about four hours to recharge about 13 kWh on a 240-volt supply and about 10 hours on 120 volts. We got 2.93 miles per kWh overall and 32 mpg overall on gas mode. Running costs are less than four cents a mile based on national electricity rates, but the cost advantage diminishes once you venture beyond the electric range, in part because the Volt requires premium fuel.