Introduction to Green Cars

I used to argue that the Prius Hybrid was the best bet for a green car this year. But with all the problems with the runaway acceleration and brakes anti-lock systems it's now much more difficult to make that call. Current prices show the Prius starts at $22,800, and the Civic Hybrid at $23,800.

So, if you can wait, be aware that there will be some time before the new "plug-in" electric vehicles replace hybrids in California. Just hope that your house’s electrical system can handle the charging (see at bottom*), or that you can find a charging station when you need one (many are planned), or that you never have to replace a battery – they cost thousands – or that the sky-high prices will drop! Here are the challenges BMW found last year with their field tests for an electric Mini E.

My choices to look at over the next year include:

(EV = “electric vehicle”; FCV = “fuel-cell vehicle”; BEV = “battery-electric vehicle”; NEV = “neighborhood electric vehicle”; PHEV = "plug-in hybrid electric vehicle")

(1) 2011 Chevrolet Volt Plug-In Hybrid - it may arrive in November; it does 40 miles or less on battery power then switches to gasoline, but that’s enough for most commutes and it's perfect for those who fear being stranded - "range anxiety" - and that's no small thing. It’s priced around $41K which can be offset by a federal tax credit of $7500 and up to $5000 for a CA state credit, which is still a bit pricy, and that is why GM is pushing leasing. (Prices will drop - remember the first Prius went on sale for $32K and it's dropped ever since.)

(2) 2011 Nissan Leaf or the US/Chinese Coda (both are pure electric cars with a 100-mile range) - we may see early ones later this year. The Nissan Leaf is priced at $32,780 - then subtract the $7500 + up to $5000 in tax credits. These could be the early winners if there are enough public charging stations. The big challenge is that using air conditioning and heating runs your battery down quicker and you may have range anxiety at first. (Enterprise Rent-a-Car has committed to buying 500 Leafs for its big city rental fleets.)

Both the Volt and Leaf will be available to lease for 3 years for $350/month. That's a comfort when we don't know much about battery life spans. Replacing lithium-ion batteries is expensive and both GM and Nissan are offering an 8-year warranty on them.

(3) 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid - the problem for Toyota is that its drivetrain prevents long-distance battery-powered travel, so they are sticking with the hybrid and launching an EV RAV4 in partnership with Tesla - an updated version of the one Toyota built between 1998 and 2003, larger and more expensive than the Prius. No word yet on pricing.

(4) The Daimler “smart” car - it’s gas only right now but a BEV should be available in 2012. I may also look at the similar Mitsubishi i-MiEV. 

It’s premature to include hydrogen-fueled FCVs – Mercedes, Honda and GM for example. Even if enough refueling stations are built, the hydrogen is not being generated in a green way and this seems unlikely to change any time soon. I have also skipped more expensive EVs like the Tesla and Fisker - they are (or will be) all $45K and upwards.

I read somewhere that many people buying “green” cars already have an SUV. To quote Dan Sturges, the inventor of the GEM NEV, we need to think about "dividing our modes of personal transportation into basically NEAR + FAR trips and enabling the optimal vehicles to be used for the actual trip needs." In other words, families should consider a small green car for local trips.

If you want to get really basic, the Club Car Villagers and the GEMs are low-speed NEVs , which are not allowed to exceed 35mph and are besmirched by some as glorified golf carts that don’t belong in Encino, but they're perfect for back streets (more here).

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* Many houses will need to upgrade their electrical system if they want swift recharging. According to the Wall Street Journal, a 120-volt outlet will take 4-6 hours for a plug-in hybrid and 12-24 hours for an all-electric vehicle. A 240-volt outlet is much faster but many homes would need to add a new circuit to handle the additional load. Nissan is giving Leaf customers the option of buying a home charging station which after tax breaks is a bit over $1000. I know others who are thinking of installing solar panels on the roof once the EVs start arriving in show rooms.