the return of the electric car

(image by Jason McHuff via flickr)

A century after they were invented, electric cars are making a comeback. Will they stay for good?

As the planet gets warmer and oil becomes more scarce, the global auto industry is making a shift towards fuel-efficient vehicles that use less gas and electric cars – like plug-in hybrids – that use no gas, at all. For some American car makers, going electric may be a question of do-or-die.

Plug-in hybrids: almost gas-free

Chevy's Volt

Chevrolet Volt: General Motors is banking on the Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid, to help pull it out of its current near-bankruptcy. Scheduled for release late next year, the Volt runs on electricity for up to 40 miles before a gasoline-powered generator kicks in to add an additional 400 miles. Estimated price: $40,000.

Cadillac's Converj Concept

Cadillac Converj: GM's Cadillac is planning its own vehicle, the Converj, based on the same technology as the Volt, but likely starting at $80,000. If both cars hit the market with expensive batteries, there's a risk neither will catch on with their respective consumers.

Mitsubishi's i-MiEV

Mitsubishi i-MiEV: Japan's fifth-largest car maker, Mitsubishi, recently announced it will bring its i-MiEV plug-in to America "before 2012." The compact car, which runs for 100 miles on a single charge, will be released in Japan this summer before heading to Europe. Estimated price: $30,000.

Toyota's Prius Plug-in

Toyota Prius Plug-in: The world leaders in sales of gasoline-powered hybrids, Toyota is testing a plug-in version of the popular Prius but has not revealed if and when it will be available to consumers. Estimated price: $40,000.

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui

Honda: Although its Civic Hybrid is designed to compete with the Toyota Prius, the Japanese automaker has expressed no desire to build plug-in hybrids. Honda CEO Takeo Fukui: "We don't necessarily think the plug-in hybrid is a very great idea. If the batteries ever go through a major advancement, then the plug-ins will also advance, [but] if you look at the current battery performance, the cars have a very limited range."

Coming soon: Ford is currently working on a plug-in version of its Escape SUV. Chrysler has announced a similar ENVI series. Volvo promises a ReCharge model in the next few years.

Electrics: almost ready for prime-time

Tesla's Roadster

Tesla Roadster: Founded by PayPal creator and billionaire Elon Musk, Tesla Motors already has a functioning all-electric performance vehicle on U.S. roads – its Roadster. But with prices starting at over $100,000, only the elite few can afford to accelerate from 0 to 60 in less than four seconds without burning a drop of gas. (Tesla has also had a hard time delivering on the limited number of orders it's received.)

Tesla's Model S

Tesla Model S: Tesla recently unveiled the Model S, a luxury sedan that will cost closer to $60,000. The California-based company has promised another version of the Model S that would cost even less: $30,000. There's one catch: Tesla says it won't be able to manufacture the more affordable electric cars until it raises 100 million dollars to build a factory.

Th!nk's City

Th!nk City: Norwegian company Th!nk plans to release the City, a two-seater that will cost about $25,000, to America by the end of this year. Designed for city driving, the compact car's top speed is only 65 miles per hour but it can travel up to 110 miles on a single charge.

Coming soon: Japan's third-largest car maker by sales, Nissan has pledged to deliver its EV by as early as next year.