Image via Complex Original
Happy Earth Day, everybody. We hope you've been out riding a bike, planting a tree, or recycling to celebrate the one day of the year dedicated to being green. Zero-emission vehicles have been a topic of discussion in the automotive world for years, but only recently have many of the concepts picked up steam and actually been released. Others, however, haven't been so lucky, finding it difficult to find funding for the rocky frontier. Check out the Chevy Volt, the Tesla Roadster and more in our list of 10 Cool Electric Cars.
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Aptera 2e
Efficiency: 100 Miles/Charge
The 2e, the "e" standing for electric, is a perfect example of how difficult it can be to begin a company that purely focuses on the environmentally-friendly market. Aptera was forced to shut down its three-wheel operation when it failed to raise the necessary funding. Regardless, it's a vehicle that created a lot of chatter and had one of the most unique looks in car history.
Ford Focus Electric
Efficiency: 100 Miles/Charge
We know what you're thinking. A Focus on a list of "cool" cars? Sure, it might not cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or have a flashy sports car exterior, but the Focus Electric is a solid vehicle. NASCAR even chose it to lead a race as the first official electric pace car. We don't see Tesla out there on the track.
Infiniti Emerg-E Concept
Efficiency: 30 Miles/Charge
The Emerg-E is the only car on here that has been dubbed an electric supercar. With high performance, however, comes low range. The car does come with a petrol tank to extend the range from its dual electric motors, but 30 miles isn't really much when you think about how you'd use this kind of car. If you want some fun, this little two-seater beast will get you to 60 in 4 seconds and can go 130 mph.
Nissan Leaf
Efficiency: 100 Miles/Charge
The Leaf is what you'd expect from a standard no-emission vehicle. It's small, relatively affordable, has a pretty good range, and doesn't give you high performance. For a lot of people, though, that's all they need. Most people aren't going to be able to spend a ton of money to go green, and others don't need extreme speed or even range. If you're just tooling around your neighborhood picking up the kids and grabbing some groceries, something like the Leaf is perfect.
Tesla Roadster 2.5
Efficiency: 265 Miles/Charge
Tesla is undoubtedly one of the EV leaders. The Roadster gets unprecedented range and maintains incredible speed, getting up to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. The sports car has a monocoque chassis and is made of carbon fiber, so it's incredibly light. If we want to have some green fun, we're heading for this beauty.
Renault Fluence ZE
Efficiency: 100 Miles/Charge
The Fluence ZE isn't a sports car and it doesn't have some weird design because it's electric. That's what we like about it. The ZE just looks like a nice, normal sedan.
Fisker Karma
Efficiency: 50 Miles/Charge
The Karma is a mixed bag. We absolutely love the design. Regardless of whether it's electric or not, it's one of the most beautiful vehicles to come out in recent years. Unfortunately, the vehicle hasn't exactly lived up to expectations when it comes to the performance end. The interior is crowded, the car is heavy, the range isn't great, and it's been known to have some battery issues, just ask Consumer Reports. Once the company can refine the product it has, this will be a tough one to beat.
Chevrolet Volt
Efficiency: 95 Miles/Charge
The Volt separates itself from most other electric vehicles for one reason: You don't always have to use electric. If you so choose, you can use the backup gas-powered engine to get around instead of having to wait for a battery charge. The Volt has had a bit of a rocky start with low demand and an investigation into battery fires, but we like the idea of having an option between gas and electric in the same car.
Rolls-Royce 102EX Concept
Efficiency: 120 Miles/Charge
The 102 EX had all the luxury of a Rolls, but the performance just wasn't up to par. The car required an eight-hour charge, leaving many test customers unsatisfied. Rolls-Royce isn't about meeting people half way, either. Because of the negative reception, any plans of future production have been scrapped.
Tesla Model S
Efficiency: 300 Miles/Charge with 85 kwh battery option
As opposed to most other car companies that have one flagship electric vehicle and maybe a couple hybrids, Tesla is all-electric all the time. The Model S changes the entire electric scene, with ground-breaking range and performance. Buyers will be given three battery options: 40, 60, or 85 kwh. Respectively, ranges will be 160, 230, or 300 miles. If you go with the top choice, you're getting a car that can do 0-60 in 5.6 seconds and can get up to 125 mph. This all from a four-door sedan. What other electric family car comes close to that?