Electric Powered Cars – A Buyer’s Guide

Nearly everyone agrees that electric powered cars are the next big thing. You can either buy a new one today or convert a gas-powered car into an electric one. Here’s a quick overview of both options.

Tesla Roadster–Anyone who thinks electric cars are slow should take a ride in the Tesla Roadster. This flashy sports car can do 0-60 in 4 seconds and can travel at well over 100 mph. It’s the Porsche of electric cars. The ’09 version of the Roadster sells for $109,000.

Toyota RAV4 EV–This is the grand old lady of electric cars. It was sold to the public from 2002-2003 for $42,000 and you can still find some of them on the road today. Recently, someone sold one on eBay for $71,000.

AC Propulsion Ebox–First you buy a Scion xB for about $16,000, then have the folks at AC Propulsion convert it into an electric vehicle for another $55,000. Viola, you have the Ebox. This car is light and responsive and can comfortably fit five people inside.

The Mini E–This is an electric version of BMW’s Mini. You can lease one for about $850 a month, but there are only about 500 available and you need to live in either Los Angeles or the New York City area to qualify. Essentially, this is a field test for the Mini.

Dodge Electric Vehicle–Amid fears of bankruptcy, Chrysler still has plans to release an electric sports car in 2010. It should be somewhat similar to the Tesla, but a bit cheaper. Still, given the shakiness of Chrysler’s future, 2010 seems far away.

If there’s one thing all these electric powered cars have in common, it’s that they’re too expensive for the average person. Which is a shame, because there’s a tremendous demand for affordable electric vehicles.

More and more people are refusing to wait for big-car companies to deliver mainstream electric vehicles. They’ve rebelled by ripping out their gas-guzzling engines and replacing them with electric ones. What’s more, they say just about anyone can do it.

There are electric powered cars conversion kits that are available for sale over the internet. These are sets of instructions that are immediately downloadable and sell for about $30 – $50. They tell you how to find the tools and parts you need to get started. Just follow the instructions and you could soon be the proud owner of your very own electric powered car!