The plug-in Prius. Credit: NAIAS

Nissan and GM have been at the center of attention when it comes to electric vehicles, with the first sales of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf last month, but now Ford and Toyota are weighing in.

At the Consumer Electronics Show last week and the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week, Ford has officially unveiled the electric Ford Focus, which will go on sale late this year, along with new hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which will go on sale next year. The plug-in hybrid will travel farther than a conventional hybrid under electric power alone, but Ford isn't saying how far.

In Detroit Toyota revealed its plans for a family of Prius hybrid vehicles, which includes a plug-in version of the car (due next year), a larger version of the Prius (Prius v, on sale later this year) and a smaller one (Prius c concept).

Toyota's plan to stick with the successful Prius platform could be wise, as we argue here. These cars (including the plug-in version) use smaller batteries than the Leaf or the Volt, which makes them cheaper.

BYD, the Chinese automaker made famous by an investment from Warren Buffet, says it plans to start selling electric cars in the United States next year, after failing to deliver on a promise to sell the vehicle last year.

Just a couple of weeks after GM had originally planned, customers are starting to receive the new Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid that uses battery power for 35 miles, before a gasoline generator kicks in to extend the car's range. The first to get the car is a retired airline pilot, who picked up his Volt today in New Jersey. He traded in his old Toyota Prius, which could perhaps be read as a ceremonial changing of the guard as GM bests Toyota to the plug-in hybrid market. But it also makes one wonder how much the new car will hurt sales of existing hybrids, rather than the market for gas guzzling cars. GM shipped the first 360 Volts to California, Texas, Washington DC, and New York this week.

Last Friday, the first Nissan Leaf, an all-electric car with an estimated range per charge of 73 miles, was delivered to an entrepreneur in California. His last vehicle was an electric bike.

Jeffrey Kaffee is the first customer to receive the Chevrolet Volt. Credit: GM

The EPA has come out with its fuel economy ratings for the Nissan Leaf electric sedan, which goes on sale in December in 5 states. EPA labeled the car the best in its class in terms of fuel economy, using the EPAs formula that says that 33.7 kilowatt hours is equivalent to a gallon of gasoline, according to Nissan. By this measure, the car gets the equivalent of 99 miles per gallon (although it doesn't use any gasoline, just power from the grid).

But while the car is designed for a 100-mile range, it actually only gets 73 miles under drive tests meant to simulate real-world driving. Nissan has said before that mileage would vary, but gave the impression that 100 miles was the normal case, and the one sanctioned by the EPA (its website says the EPA LA4 cycle puts the range at 100).

According to Nissan, under some driving conditions, such as sitting in traffic with the heat blasting, the car will only go 62 miles on a charge. Traffic jams that keep you on the road longer than 4 hours will leave you stranded. Nissan gives a range of scenarios for driving range, but none of them include driving at normal highway speeds of 65 to 70 miles per hour, which in combination with the stereo blaring and the heater cranked might lower the range below 62 miles.

File under: caveat emptor.