Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Volt & Leaf Get Top Safety Rating Plus Low Fuel Costs

Electric cars cost about 3 cents per mile to operate compared to 16 cents per mile for a gasoline car that gets 25 miles per gallon when gasoline costs $4 per gallon.  3 cents is much better than 16 cents to state the painfully obvious.

But some wonder, are electric cars safe?  What happens if they have a crash?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf its top safety rating, after extensive testing.  Both the Volt and Leaf can run on only electricity, using batteries to provide power.  The Volt also has a gasoline engine that runs when the battery empties and needs recharging.

The Insurance Institute found that both the Volt and Leaf high voltage electric systems posed no hazards to emergency responders and others after crashes.

So the Volt and Leaf are top safety performers and much cheaper to operate. But how much do they cost to buy?

The Volt is listed at $41,000 and the Leaf at $33,600.  Federal and state tax incentives are available, including in Pennsylvania.

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