2013 Electric Cars in the USA: Here’s the Lineup

The number of electric car offerings continue to grow at a rapid pace. The options are getting more diverse and the price is coming down a bit. Just 7 EVs were available in 2011, but there will be 16 by the end of 2012 and an additional 19 models are scheduled for 2013 and beyond. New models launching this summer and fall include the Audi R8 E-Tron, Fiat 500 EV, Ford C-MAX Energi, Honda Fit EV, Smart ED, Tesla Model S, Toyota Prius Plug-in, and the Toyota RAV4 EV.

A few notes on the cars and stats listed here:

* This list includes all vehicles that have a significant all-electric range, both pure EVs and plug-in hybrids. If you’re looking for non-plug-in hybrids, look for our upcoming 2013 Hybrid Cars in the USA article.

* The electric range is an extremely variable number, and often the manufacturer quotes the range under “ideal” conditions (low speed, flat roads, moderate temperatures, no heat or A/C on). Be aware that the range can change significantly in not-so-ideal conditions. The Nissan Leaf website has a good explanation on range (click the colored squares for different conditions). The Leaf’s range goes from 138 to 62 depending on conditions!

* The battery charging times are also extremely variable, depending on how high the voltage is, and whether they are quoting time from 0-100% charge, or 20-80% charge, or something in between. Wherever possible, the times we quote are from 0-100% from a dedicated 240-volt outlet.

* Pricing is given before any tax credits. You can view information on federal tax incentives here, and state tax incentives here.

 

Alvarez Electric Motors

This fledgling California company has announced they will be offering three inexpensive, Chinese-built EVs. All have a short range and top speed of only 25 MPH. But the price is nice: $10,000 for a 2-seater, $17,000 for a van and $18,000 for a truck. Their first dealership is opening in Irvine, CA, in August.

 

Audi Electric Vehicles

A3 E-Tron – Audi brought 17 test models of its plug-in electric car to U.S. cities this summer, but it looks like it won’t be hitting showrooms until 2014. It is expected to have 134 horsepower, a top speed of 89 MPH and a 92-mile range.

R8 E-Tron – The plug-in version of Audi’s R8 high-end sports car is expected to go on sale this fall. It has set electric car speed records and is reported to go from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, with a 124 MPH top speed and  a 134-mile range.

Plans for electric versions of the A1 and A2 have been discontinued.

 

BMW Electric Cars

i3 – The i3 (MegaCity Vehicle) all-electric compact hatchback is expected to hit showrooms in late 2013. It is reported to have 170 horsepower, a range of 80-100 miles, and will be priced around $45,000. Top speed is 93 MPH and it can re-charge in 6 hours. About 700 drivers are currently participating in BMW’s ActiveE field test in Boston, Hartford, New York, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco.

i8 – BMW has shown concepts of its sporty plug-in electric hybrid i8 in both a coupe and a Spyder convertible. Both models are expected to arrive at dealers sometime in 2014. The car is reported to put out 349 horsepower and will be able to travel 19 miles on electric power alone.

 

BYD Electric Cars

BYD stands for “Build Your Dreams” and this Chinese car company is still dreaming of bringing cars to the U.S., but so far we’ve gotten nothing but delays.

E6 – The crossover E6 wagon would certainly be dreamy if it came to the U.S. It features room for 5, a 186-mile range and a unique iron-phosphate “Fe” battery. Top speed is expected to be 87 MPH and re-charge time is 6 hours.

 

Cadillac Electric Vehicles

ELR – The luxury sports coupe cousin of the Chevy Volt is expected to go on sale in late 2013. No hard figures are available yet, but speculation is that is will have the Volt’s same electric engine, paired with a more powerful gas engine and a larger battery pack. Range is expected to be similar to the Volt’s 38 miles electric / 380 miles combined. Price should start around $55,000.

 

Chevy Electric Cars

Volt – The successful Chevrolet Volt hybrid enters its third year of production with a few upgrades: An improved battery pack bumps its all-electric range from 35 to 38 miles and its MPGe rises to 98. Re-charge time is around 4 hours and top speed is still 100 MPH. There will also be some changes to color, comfort and safety options. The 2013 Volt is already arriving at dealerships. Pricing is unchanged, starting around $40,000.

Spark EV – Last October, Chevy announced that there would be an EV version of the Spark available in some U.S. states in 2013. Not much in the way of specs or pricing is available yet. This may be a limited-production compliance vehicle.

 

Chrysler Electric Vehicles

In February 2012 Chrysler announced that they would have an electric version of the subcompact Fiat 500 on sale by the end of the year. It is expected to get between 80 and 100 miles on a single charge. But Chrysler’s commitment to EVs seems a bit half-hearted and this may be a limited-production compliance vehicle.

 

Coda Automotive

Coda Sedan – This new car American car company introduced their Coda Sedan in March. It lacks bells and whistles, but it does have a 125-mile range, a top speed of 85 MPH and a charge time of 6 hours. Pricing starts around $38,000.

 

Commuter Electric Cars

Tango T600 – Nothing new to report on the Tango. This limited-production two-seater is blisteringly fast (0-60 in 3.2 seconds) and has a range of 100 miles. It costs upwards of $200,000. Commuter has a waiting list for those who are interested in less-expensive future models.

 

Electric Mobile Cars

Another new American company, Electric Mobile Cars, started up last year. Right now, they are only selling commercial fleet vehicles: a 7-passenger van, a pick-up truck and cargo utility vehicle. They all have an impressive range of 200 miles at 75 MPH. They are planning to have models ready for consumers in 2013.

 

Fiat Electric Cars

See Chrysler above.

 

Fisker Electric Vehicles

Karma – Fisker finally started delivering its long-awaited hybrid sports car last December. EPA fuel efficiency numbers were lower than expected: 52 MPGe (combined) and just 20 MPG on gas-only. Its all-electric range is 32 miles. Pricing starts around $93,000.

Fisker has also announced two new models: the Surf station wagon and the Atlantic sedan. No word on when they will start production.

 

Ford Electric Cars

Fusion Energi – The 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid will have a plug-in hybrid variant called the Energi, with a reported 100 MPGe. It will have an all-electric range of about 20 miles at a top speed of 62 MPH.  The regular Fusion Hybrid (non plug-in) will start around $28,000, but no price has been announced for the Energi, which arrives Spring 2013.

Focus Electric – On sale since January, the Focus Electric is an electric-only plugin with 110 MPGe, a range of about 76 miles and a top speed of 84 MPH. It can re-charge in about 4 hours. Pricing starts around $40,000. This is may be a limited-production compliance vehicle.

C-MAX Energi – Ford’s new C-MAX hatchback will be available this fall in a plug-in model that will have an electric-only range of about 20 miles and a total range of 550 miles at 95 MPGe. It will re-charge in about 3 hours and have a top electric speed of 85 MPH. Pricing starts around $33,000 and because it has a larger battery than the Prius, it qualifies for a larger tax credit — making it the cheapest plug-in hybrid available so far in the U.S.

F-550 – Back in 2011, Ford announced that they would be offering a plug-in diesel hybrid option for their Super Duty pickup trucks, starting with the F-550 in 2013.  But there’s been no updates since then.

 

Honda Electric Cars

Accord Hybrid Plug-in – This winter Honda will be introducing a plug-in version of the Accord Hybrid. It will have an all-electric range of 15 miles with a top electric speed of 62 MPH. Recharge time will be 1.5 hours. No word yet on price or MPG.

Honda Fit EV – The all-electric version of the Fit will be available for lease in August in major cities on the West Coast and in the Northeast. It gets an impressive 118 MPGe, with a driving range of 82 miles and a top speed of 92 MPH. Re-charge takes around 3 hours. The lease costs $389/month for 36 months. This may be a limited-production compliance vehicle.

 

Hyundai Electric Vehicles

Hyundai Elantra Touring Hybrid – Rumor has it that Hyundai is developing a plug-in version of their Elantra. No details are available yet.

 

Infiniti Electric Cars

Infiniti LE Electric – Infiniti unveiled their LE electric vehicle at the 2012 New York Auto Show. It is expected to have a range of 100 miles and have the first wireless charging system. No other details have been revealed yet, but it should arrive in 2014.

 

Jaguar Electric Cars

C-X75 – This sports car/rocket ship is scheduled for production and due in 2013. The plug-in hybrid will do 0-60 in less than 3.0 seconds. Electric range is expected to be about 30 miles. The downside? Pricing is expected to be around $1.23 million.

XJ_e – This concept vehicle was unveiled in June. It pairs the flagship XJ sedan with a plug-in hybrid system, giving it an electric-only range of 25 miles and an expected MPGe of 73. No word on when, or if, it will go into production.

 

Jeep Electric Vehicles

AMP Jeep Grand Cherokee – While Chrysler isn’t focusing on electric vehicles, AMP Electric Vehicles is offering a Grand Cherokee electric makeover. They replace the Cherokee’s standard engine with 2 electric motors, giving it 203 horsepower and a range of about 100 miles. They will offer both AWD and RWD models and pricing starts around $57,000.

 

Kia Electric Vehicles

Kia has introduced two electric vehicles in Korea — the Ray and the Naimo, but has announced no plans to bring them to the States yet.

 

Land Rover Electric Vehicles

Range_e – Land Rover has been testing a plug-in diesel hybrid prototype in England called the Range_e. It has an all-electric range of 20 miles and a combined range of 690 miles. No word yet on whether this vehicle will make it to production.

 

Lexus Electric Vehicles

There were rumors back in 2010 that Lexus was planning a plug-in variant of their CT 200h hybrid, but there has been no mention of it since then.

 

Lincoln Electric Cars

Lincoln MKZ Hybrid – A sister vehicle to the Ford Fusion, the MKZ hybrid may also get a plug-in version in 2013, if there is demand.

 

Mazda Electric Vehicles

While Mazda has been focused on their fuel-efficient SkyActive line of gasoline and diesel engines, they have announced a pilot leasing program for an all-electric vehicle in Japan — the Demio EV.

 

Mercedes-Benz Electric Cars

B-series – Tesla has announced that they will be building components for a new EV for Mercedes, coming in 2014. It is most likely for the compact B Series, which is currently only offered in Europe. No word on specs yet.

 

Mini Electric Cars

Mini E – The 2-seater Mini E is currently undergoing field trials in New York and L.A. It has a range of about 100 miles, a 95 MPH top speed and can recharge in about 3 hours.

 

Mitsubishi Electric Vehicles

i-MiEV – The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is already on sale. Offering 112 MPGe, it has a range of about 62 miles and can re-charge in 7 hours. It has a top speed of 81 MPH. Pricing is as low as $21,625 after tax savings.

 

Nissan Electric Cars

Leaf – The Nissan Leaf has been on sale now for a year and a half. The 2013 Leaf will arrive at dealers this fall with a new heater that should improve its winter driving range, an upgraded 6.6 kilowatt charger, and optional leather seats. It continues to have 99 MPGe and a 100-mile range. No word on 2013 pricing, but the 2012 started around $35,000.

 

Porsche Electric Cars

918 Spyder – Porsche’s plug-in hybrid “super car” is arriving September 2013. It sports over 700 horsepower, 78 combined MPG, a 15-mile electric range — and an $800,000 price tag.

Panamera – Rumors say a plug-in hybrid variant of the Panamera is in the works for 2014.

 

Scion Electric Cars

iQ EV – The Scion iQ EV enters the production cycle this year, but sales will be fleet-only .

 

Smart Electric Cars

Electric Drive – The diminutive 2-seat Smart Electric Drive is coming to the U.S. this fall. The 2013 Smart ED has a 90-mile range and a maximum speed of 77 MPH. It re-charges in under 6 hours.  Pricing is expected to start around $28,000.

 

Subaru Electric Cars

Subaru does not seem to have any plug-in electric vehicles in the works at the moment, though they are scheduled to introduce their first hybrid in Japan next year.

 

Tesla Electric Cars

Model S – Tesla wowed the world with its Roadster, and now they are impressing again with the Model S, which is on sale now. The all-electric luxury sports sedan is offered with three range options: 160, 230, or 300 miles. It can do 0-60 in 5.6 seconds and has a top speed of 130 MPH. The EPA rates it at 89 MPGe. Pricing starts around $57,000.

Model X – The crossover Model X, with seating for 7, is coming in 2014.

 

Think Electric Cars

Think Global has filed for bankruptcy and its stock of City EVs seems to have been liquidated back in April.

 

Toyota Electric Cars

Prius Plug-in Hybrid – The new Prius Plug-in is now available in the Northeast and on the West Coast, with more states being added in 2013. It features an all-electric range of 11 miles and an electric top speed of 62 MPH. It can re-charge in 1.5 hours. Pricing starts at $32,000.

RAV4 EV – The all-electric version of the RAV4 SUV is expected to go on sale soon in California. It features a 100-mile range, 6-hour charge and a price just under $50,000. This is most likely a limited-production compliance vehicle.

 

Volkswagen Electric Cars

VW has no EVs available now, but there are rumors of a Golf plug-in hybrid coming in 2015. VW has also unveiled concepts for a plug-in diesel-hybrid Cross Coupe Concept and an all-electric Buggster EV.

 

Volvo Electric Cars

Volvo has no EVs in production, but they did unveil a plug-in hybrid XC60 concept at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

 

Wheego Electric Vehicles

LiFe– The little 2-seat Wheego LiFe has a 100-mile range, a top speed of 65 MPH and pricing that starts at $33,000. The LiFe is available now.

 

So there you have it, the electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid lineup in the USA for 2013.

Did we leave anything out? Did we make any mistakes?

Leave a comment and let us know!

If you’ve test driven or own any of these cars, please leave your review to help others who are researching. Tell us about your real life mileage range too.

Did you find this post useful? If so, please Like it on Facebook, Stumble it with StumbleUpon, or save it on Delicious or your favorite social bookmarking site. We’d really appreciate it.