(The Associated Press)
Leaf ratings
The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that the Nissan Leaf will get the equivalent of 99 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving. The EPA's tests estimate the electric car can travel 73 miles on a fully charged battery and will cost $561 a year in electricity.
The current popemobile is a Mercedes-Benz with bullet-proof windows. (The Associated Press)
E-popemobile
The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI would like to use an electric popemobile as another sign of his efforts to promote sustainable energy, but one has yet to be offered. Benedict has been called the "green pope" after installing photovoltaic cells on the roof of the Vatican's main auditorium and a solar cooling unit in its main cafeteria.
1 Comment
By coffeetime on December 19, 2010 11:51 AM
The MPG terminology is about a relevant to electric cars as the 9/10 of a cent is when buying a gallon of gas these days. While it probably won't happen all that often, Volt and LEAF owners could fill their "fuel" tank by hooking it up to a private windmill or solar panels.
I test drove both the Volt and LEAF when they came to the Seattle area in the past few months, and like both cars. My main concern with the LEAF is this: what will the average driving range be some 5-6-10 years out? All batteries lose their ability to hold a charge over time. Five years from now, is it possible that if you are a LEAF owner and heading out to the freeway on a cold rainy night (meaning that battery power is also used to heat the car, run the windshield defroster, shine the headlights and operate the wipers), you'll be lucky to make it home if your round-trip mileage exceeds 40 miles? That fear alone would point me towards a Volt, which can always run on its gasoline range-extender engine. I guess time will tell.