The Chevy Volt is due to be in production by late next year.  The Nissan LEAF won't be far behind.  How do these electric vehicles work?  Do they use gasoline at all?  Do you just plug them in in your garage to any household outlet?  Will everyone really be driving electric vehicles in a few years?  What makes an electric vehicle different from a gasoline-powered vehicle?

True, an electric vehicle is a vehicle that runs on electricity and has zero emissions.  For a full explanation on what an electric car is: read here.

For now, electric vehicles are very expensive.  The Chevy Volt electric vehicle is expected to cost around $40,000 which is prohibitive to many car shoppers.  For reasons on why this new technology is so expensive and how electric vehicles may come down in price in the coming years: read here.

Some advantages to buying an electric vehicle would be that we would not be dependent on foreign oil, there will be tax incentives for buying electric vehicles, and we would be contributing to a greener environment since an electric vehicle has zero emissions.  Electric vehicles also have less parts to break and are easier to maintain than their gasoline powered counterparts.

In summary, electric cars will definitely be a part of our transportation future.  What remains to be seen is whether or not they will be the solution of our transportation future.