Whether you’re itching to sign up for an electric vehicle field trial, hoping to buy one of the earliest plug-in models, or just want a heads up on what models you might see hitting showrooms and U.S. roads in the next couple years, here’s a dozen models to have on your list. Some of them will be available only in select markets or for a handful of fleets initially, but if all goes well (a big if), then this could mark the first trickle before a flood of plug-in models during the next decade.
| What | When | Where | How Much |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW Concept ActiveE - BEV - 4 seats |
Limited leasing in 2011 | U.S., EU | TBA |
| BMW Mini-E - BEV – 2 seats |
Field trials underway; expanding 2010 | Germany, U.S., UK, China | $850/month lease |
| BYD e6 - BEV - 5 seats |
Late 2010 | Select U.S. markets initially, likely starting with Southern California, followed by San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, New York, Boston. | Around $40,000 |
| Coda Sedan - BEV – 5 seats |
Fall 2010 | California initially, later expanding across U.S. | $45,000 |
| Fisker Karma - PHEV – 4 seats |
September 2010 | U.S., Canada, EU | $87,900 |
| Ford Focus - BEV – 5 seats |
Fleet trials underway; launch late 2011 | North America, then EU | TBA |
| GM Chevy Volt - EREV – 5 seats) |
November 2010 | Select U.S. cities initially including San Francisco, CA, Washington, D.C., | Around $40,000 |
| Nissan LEAF - BEV – 5 seats |
Early reservations through May 15, 2010. | Primary lead markets include Tennessee, California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona. | $32,780, or $349/month lease with $1,999 down payment |
| Smart Fortwo ED - BEV – 2 seats |
Field trials underway; U.S. trials starting second half of 2010; 2012 series production. | Select customers in Germany, Italy, Spain, England, France, Switzerland, U.S., Canada | TBA. Gas version starts at $11,990 |
| Think City - BEV – 2 seats |
Already available in EU; U.S. launch planned for 2010 | Select U.S. cities initially, starting with New York City (LA, San Francisco, Chicago rank high on list of potential lead markets). | About $28,690, plus $183/month for battery leasing if U.S. pricing is similar to pricing for Norway market |
| Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid - PHEV – 5 seats |
Limited leasing underway | Select fleets in Japan, EU and across the U.S., including universities, companies and governments in California, Colorado and Oregon. | TBA. About $47,800 for demo fleet customers in Japan. 2010 Prius (hybrid, no plug) starts at $22,800 |
| Ford Transit Connect - BEV – Light commercial van |
Late 2010 | North America, then EU | TBA. Gas version starts under $22,000 |
BEV = Battery Electric Vehicle; PHEV = Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle; EREV = Extended Range Electric Vehicle
Image courtesy of felixkramer’s photostream
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