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Leaf, Prius, Volt: What's the difference?

Sympatico -- The green vehicle revolution is well and truly underway. There's just one problem: it means a whole new category of vehicles with a new set of technologies and terminologies (what the heck is an E-REV anyway?) for Canadians to get their collective noggins around.
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To help out, we've created this short guide to sussing out the differences between three of segments all-star vehicle: the Toyota Prius (a Full-Hybrid; FH) on sale now, and the coming Chevrolet Volt (an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle; E-REV) and Nissan Leaf (a purely Electric Vehicle; EV). Surprisingly, they're all compact-to-midsize hatchback, but take their own green-hued road from there.

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Submitted Aug 28, 2010 By: Hamish

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jcurley Champion Author California Posts:5,650 Points:1,324,595 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Aug 29, 2010 4:43:25 AM Ignore jcurley Report Abuse Good article! If the Bush recession doesn't become a double dip depression, I hope to buy something like one of these, in a couple of years.
Amplion Champion Author Oregon Posts:4,249 Points:1,400,260 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Aug 29, 2010 4:31:13 AM Ignore Amplion Report Abuse ALL BAD
coughlin Champion Author San Jose Posts:3,346 Points:757,850 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Aug 29, 2010 2:35:37 AM Ignore coughlin Report Abuse Lots.
mynt Champion Author Ottawa Posts:2,960 Points:610,205 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Aug 29, 2010 12:35:17 AM Ignore mynt Report Abuse The Prius has 10 years or more of proven technology ... the others are brand new EXPENSIVE "test" vehicles for early adopters with deep pockets.
Huskersed All-Star Author Atlanta Posts:703 Points:337,950 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 29, 2010 12:15:25 AM Ignore Huskersed Report Abuse They are all good fuel alternative vehicles.
pliskin Champion Author Syracuse Posts:4,370 Points:1,349,085 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Aug 29, 2010 12:00:06 AM Ignore pliskin Report Abuse Other than $9000 on one hand and $ 7500 rebate on the other?
DonKofAK All-Star Author Anchorage Posts:869 Points:591,185 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 8:16:22 PM Ignore DonKofAK Report Abuse The article comes from the land of "not quite right." A hybrid is the combination of two or more different things, aimed at achieving a particular objective or goal. A hybrid vehicle is one that uses a mixture of power or fuel sources. A contemporary hybrid electric vehicle combines an internal combustion engine with electric motors. Hybrid power trains have been in use for many years in diesel-electric or turbo-electric railway locomotives, buses, heavy goods vehicles, mobile hydraulic machinery, and ships (including WWI submarines). In 1900, Ferdinand Porsche developed the first gasoline-electric series-hybrid automobile in the world, setting speed records using two motor-in-wheel-hub arrangements with a combustion generator set proving the electric power. Hybrid vehicles are classified by the division of power between sources; both sources may operate in parallel to simultaneously provide acceleration, or they may operate in series with one source exclusively providing the acceleration and the second being used to augment the first's power reserve. Current hybrid automobiles use both an internal combustion engine and a battery/electric drive system to improve fuel consumption, emission, and performance. The Leaf is not a hybrid; it's an all-electric car recharged by an external power source. The Prius is a parallel system; both engine and motor propel the vehicle. The Volt is a serial system; the motor provides propulsion, the gas engine drives a generator which powers the motor and re-charges the battery. The Volt can travel 300 miles before refueling with gasoline to continue the trip with minimal delay (smaller fuel tank, shorter pit-stop -- compared to vehicles with larger fuel tanks). The Volt can go 24/7, with brief pauses to re-fuel with gasoline and change drivers. It's top speed is 100mph. [Edited by: DonKofAK at 8/28/2010 8:19:26 PM EST]
BMW2014 Champion Author Toronto Posts:1,794 Points:364,300 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 7:24:48 PM Ignore BMW2014 Report Abuse I will wait for more choices.
NekoSJG Champion Author San Jose Posts:3,240 Points:572,755 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 7:20:58 PM Ignore NekoSJG Report Abuse More stuff to add to the confusion. I just don't understand why a car has to be capable of driving from coast to coast. Isn't that like 60 hours of driving one way and another 60 back? Why not make the gas tank hold 200 gallons too so you won't have to stop?
POLELANE Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,148 Points:828,370 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 7:03:16 PM Ignore POLELANE Report Abuse That's because a Volt can be driven from Houston to Kansas City without the need of a wall outlet. so then sneaks; that confirms that it is downhill from Dallas to just about anywhere else?
playtimeCLE Champion Author Cleveland Posts:5,920 Points:1,094,425 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 6:33:15 PM Ignore playtimeCLE Report Abuse I might buy a Prius, but it will take some time before I'd buy a battery car.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:43,399 Points:1,714,055 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 6:27:58 PM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse highdesertman wrote: >It'll be a while before the Leaf or the Volt become widely >available, so we'll have to see how they do in real-world >service. Of the three though, the Volt's Extended-Range >EV technology seems to offer the best combination of >practicality for most drivers. That's because a Volt can be driven from Houston to Kansas City without the need of a wall outlet. However, given the facts that it's a new from scratch design and it's a Chevrolet, it may not be able to be driven from Houston to Kansas City without a dealer service department. Only a few Chevy dealers will be able to service a Volt because they're not bringing it out everywhere. One of the reasons to have a Government Motors vehicle is they can be fixed almost anywhere. Consumer Reports ran into trouble when they took one of the early Saturn vehicles on a cross-country tour; they broke down in the middle of Oklahoma. They ended out calling the 800 number in the Saturn manual, then it went on a flatbed tow truck to the nearest authorized servicer. Their comment about the whole mess was it would have been a lot easier if they had a Chevrolet.
SBlouch Champion Author San Antonio Posts:6,902 Points:1,473,805 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 5:22:52 PM Ignore SBlouch Report Abuse It doesn't matter what is the difference between them for me as I do not plan to buy one ever. I want to be able to drive more than 100 miles and be able to recharge to go farther.
Naturenut99 All-Star Author Illinois Posts:966 Points:288,580 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 4:58:54 PM Ignore Naturenut99 Report Abuse re: "Either way, I'm not buying one until they figure out how to get me across the US without having to recharge every 100 or so miles. Also they need to lower the price." You obviously havent read anything about at least two if not all three. The Volt and Prius PHEV (Standard Prius only uses gas) are both PHEV's that also use gas,,, there is no range issue, unless of course you happen to worry about access to (and price of) gas. On the Leaf, you are correct they only have a 100 mile EV range.
highdesertman Champion Author Albuquerque Posts:1,204 Points:1,311,510 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 3:08:52 PM Ignore highdesertman Report Abuse It'll be a while before the Leaf or the Volt become widely available, so we'll have to see how they do in real-world service. Of the three though, the Volt's Extended-Range EV technology seems to offer the best combination of practicality for most drivers. Hopefully, we'll see a wider range of E-REV vehicles on the market in the near future.
ncomet1 Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,289 Points:408,780 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 2:42:16 PM Ignore ncomet1 Report Abuse I would buy one because I only drive 10 to 40 miles round trip at a time. The cost has to come down a lot before I purchase one.
GasRJT Champion Author Kansas Posts:2,497 Points:572,685 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Aug 28, 2010 2:24:09 PM Ignore GasRJT Report Abuse Either way, I'm not buying one until they figure out how to get me across the US without having to recharge every 100 or so miles. Also they need to lower the price.