6 Hot New Electric Cars for 2011

Analysts predict many of us will be driving electric vehicles in the near future. Much anticipated models are coming from Nissan, Ford, Chevy, Fisker .

Nissan Leaf
The electrics are coming! By the end of the year, at least six battery-powered vehicles will be on the U.S. market. The cars will finally go from revolving on show stands to dealer floors, and we'll finally know if consumers mean it when they say in opinion polls that they'll consider an EV for their next purchase. Most of these cars will charge in five or six hours on 220-volt home current, and overnight on 110. Fifteen-minute fast charging (480 volts) may be available at some public stations, maybe even at your favorite big-box store.
Here's a rundown of the cars headed for showrooms, some from major manufacturers and others from ambitious startups. Four are battery-only cars, one is a plug-in hybrid and the sixth (the Chevrolet Volt) is a unique combination of the two:

"This is the new paradigm of the car, and it will change our industry," said Carlos Ghosn, the chairman of Nissan, introducing the battery-powered Leaf in Los Angeles. "It will also change the way people use and power their vehicles."
The Leaf, an all-new design, has a range of 100 miles on a single charge of its lithium-ion batteries. Nissan is unique among carmakers in also partnering with charging companies and municipalities to make sure the Leaf will have public places to plug in. Even though the car hasn't been priced yet (it could be $23,000, plus batteries), 25,000 "handraisers" have said they're willing to buy one. I drove a "mule" version of the Leaf, and found it great fun -- the electric motor gives it great performance right off the line. Available at the end of the year at a Nissan dealership near you.

Detroit Auto Show 2010 - Hottest, Top, Electric Cars

The Detroit Auto Show 2010 has managed to draw a lot of attention from auto lovers. The Auto Show 2010 has over 700 vehicles which are displayed from major auto manufacturers like GM, Ford, Toyota, Mercedes and many

Ford Focus will be seen in the US market from early 2011 as a 2012 model. The aerodynamic focus will have a new 2 liter 4 cylinder engine and will get 40 mpg on the highway. The Ford Focus price is expected to be competitive with the Honda Civic.