Electric Car Manufacturers Battle to Win Consumer Favor-

According to a statement released Tuesday, General Motors Co. will be charging a whopping $41,000 for its brand new Chevy Volt EV when it goes on sale in November. The price will be roughly $8,000 more than its adversary, the Nissan LEAF, although GM says it will offer a $350/month lease deal that is relatively identical. GM said it is confident that the payment plan will help put the Volt within reach of many people. To boot, both EVs are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit that will benefit consumers looking to switch from standard gas guzzlers to a cleaner mode of transport. With the credit, the Volt’s price would drop down to $33,500, while the LEAF’s would fall to $25,280. Certain states — like California, Georgia and Oregon — even offer additional tax breaks that reduce the cost even further. The 4-door Volt sedan drives on battery power for up to 40 miles but has a small gasoline engine to generate electricity once the battery runs low. The gas engine can generate power to run the car another 300 miles. In order that the car appeal to a wider audience, GM says that drivers must know “they’re not going to get stranded.” That may be a beneficial selling point for worried consumers, but it certainly wont sit well with environmentalists who would like to see fossil fuels completely stamped out of the picture. Nissan’s LEAF, however, does not have a gas engine and simply runs on a lithium-ion battery which lasts up to ten years. Not to mention, after the battery wears out, it can be reused in a number of renewable energy applications. The LEAF can go up to 100 miles on a single charge, and as more charging stations sprout up around the country, the prospect of eliminating our dependence on oil has never been so bright. GM’s lease deal is $350/month for 36 months with $2,500 down. Nissan’s lease plan is $349/month for the same length of time with only $1,995 down. Katherine Zachary, a Nissan spokeswoman, said the LEAF itself emits no pollution and is intended for people whose daily travels are within its range — or are traveling on routes within range of charging stations.