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Top 10 Electric Cars in the World

The automotive world is growing greener by the day. With petrol and diesel prices behaving more unsteadily than perhaps at any point of time we can possibly think of, car makers are utilizing their resources in building cars that are less dependent on these fuels. Auto companies are investing their finances and technology to carve out practical and durable electric cars.

They say necessity is the father of invention. The need for alternate fuel resources has led to the birth of electric and hybrid cars that not only consume less fuel, but also pollute less. Currently, electric cars are in high demand with the modern world is facing challenges like global warming, environmental pollution and high prices of petrol, diesel and gasoline.

Electric and hybrid cars may be a little expensive, but you could escape paying the extra high prices of petrol and diesel. Here, we have the top 10 electric cars on the basis of style, practicality and creativity.

1. Tesla Roadster

The Roadster is the first production automobile to use lithium-ion battery cells and the first production battery electric vehicle to run over 320 km per charge. A Roadster set the world distance record of 501 km for a production electric car on a single charge on October 27, 2009 during the Global Green Challenge in outback Australia. If you have sufficient money and are a passionate car collector, this two-seater packed with 6,831 laptop batteries can be just perfect for you. Originally, the 2,700-pound vehicle could zip from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, but since then its problematic transmission has been limited to one gear only, reducing that acceleration to a 0 to 60 time of 5.9 seconds.

2. Toyota Plug-in Hybrid

The Hybrid-X concept proposes a new design language for hybrids, while at the same time, acting as an innovative technology showcase for the next-gen hybrid cars. The Toyota Hybrid-X has been designed as a 4-door, 4-seat open-space concept with the dimensions of a conventional family car. It has an overall length of 4,500 mm and a wheelbase of 2,800 mm. The car is 1,850 mm wide and height 1,440 mm high. The Toyota Hybrid X has been created and developed by Toyota's European styling centre, ED2. Using longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries, the car will probably be able to beat the current experimental Toyota Prius plug-in's 100 kilometres travelled without any help from its onboard gasoline engine.

3. Chevrolet Volt

The four-seater Chevy Volt from General Motors can accelerate from a standstill to 100 kmph in just 8.5 seconds. The sedan can run exclusively on battery power for around 65 km after which a little 1-litre gasoline-powered motor kicks in to charge those batteries. GM is currently working on various advanced battery technologies. Looks like the car maker is dumping the outdated nickel-metal-hydride batteries of yesteryears for the current favourite which is apparently a T-shaped assembly made with stacked wafers of manganese oxide. The Chevy Volt will be advanced in all aspects inside and out. Inside will be iPod-like tech, including a touchscreen for entertainment of occupants, navigation and control of the car's charging.

4. Fisker Karma

The Fisker Karma is a 4-door luxury sports sedan from the brand new company Fisker Automotive. In addition to low-slung, slinky styling, the Fisker Karma's most distinctive feature is its plug-in series hybrid powertrain, similar to the arrangement being used on the 2011 Chevy Volt. First revealed at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Fisker hopes to sell up to 15,000 Karma sedans and retractable-hardtop models a year. If you are rich and really love your planet, this pretty toy like car is just perfect. Its peak speed is 201 kmph with 80 kilometres on just battery power.

5. Aptera Typ-1

The design of the egg-shaped, two-seater Aptera is inspired from nature's creation that goes along the wind instead of against it and you're gonna wonder if it's a car or an aircraft. It's an Aptera Typ-1 Plug-in hybrid equipped with battery power and a little diesel motor that together deliver an impressive range of 965 kilometres. The Aptera Typ-1 is an all-electric car with a 193-kilometre range and accelerates from a standstill to a hundred kilometres an hour in just about 10 seconds. The wondrous machine is capable of reaching maximum speed of over 137 km/h.

6. Venturi Eclectic Car

The Eclectic, which looks just like a squashed robot, is very comfortable and manageable as an urban get-around car. This special car has just two buttons for motion; one for Drive and another for Reverse. The Venturi Eclectic car's optimistically placed wind turbine will hopefully catch a breeze that might add to its 48-kilometre range at 48 kmph. The solar panel on top of the Venturi Eclectic makes the plug-in car energy-autonomous. There's one problem though - finding people to drive the car that don't mind appearing to be a bit eclectic themselves.

7. Zenn

The Zenn electric car has been produced by makers settled in Toronto. The Zenn all-electric car is believed to emit zero carbon emissions and will be noise-free too. Makers of the Zenn claim that the mystifying ultra-capacitor solid-state electrical energy storage unit is "longer lasting, lighter, more powerful, and environmentally friendly" than batteries that power other electric automobiles.

8. Th!nk OX

This Th!nk OX electric automobile can travel at 100 kmph noticeably 160 kilometre on charge or more with ease. Th!nk Ox is the first 5-seater electric car designed by a Norway based company which was formerly a part of Ford Motors. General Electronics has invested heavily in Lithium-Ion battery producers A123 Systems who will be supplying batteries for the Th!nk OX electric car. Think says that future models may include a range extender. This range extender would be a small flex-fuel engine capable of charging the battery to an extent that will allow the Ox travel 450 kilometres.

9. Nissan Leaf Electric Car

The Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car, or in short, the Nissan Leaf is a compact 5-door electric hatch which is currently in the pipeline. A front-mounted electric motor drives the wheels, powered by a 24 kW.h/120.6 bhp lithium ion battery pack. On the EPA city driving cycle, an all-electric range of 160 km is expected and remains the same as the EV-11 prototype. However, third-party test drives reveal that there are chances of a single-charge range varying by up to 40 per cent in real-world situations. Reports vary from around 100 km to almost 222 km depending on driving style, load, traffic conditions, weather, accessory use and many more factors.

10. BMW's Mini Electric Car

The all-electric powered version of the popular BMW Mini is called the Mini E. The power comes from An Asynchronous electric motor mounted in the former engine bay powers the Mini E. It spews out 201 bhp and peak torque of 220 Nm. Drive is sent to the front wheels. The Mini E employs a lithium-ion battery pack with an overall capacity of a 35 kilowatt-hours. The batteries which weigh 259 kg replace the back seat. Top speed is electronically limited to 153 km/h. On a single charge, the BMW Mini E easily runs up to 251 km under optimal conditions. However, under normal driving conditions the car delivers ranges of 175 km city and 154 km highway.