Nissan Leaf
Five years ago, few cars got bigger than 30 afar on a gallon of gas, but cars that can get 40 mpg on the artery or in city-limits active are acceptable added common, prompted by new government rules and advances in technology. About 20 cars from the 2011 archetypal year accept accomplished this arch bend of efficiency, about amateur the amount in 2006, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Automakers are accepting affected to accession the ability of cars to accommodated tougher government standards. The boilerplate ammunition ability of all new cars and trucks awash in 2016 will charge to ability 35.5 mpg. That's about 40 percent college than accepted standards, and requirements will alone get stricter. Regulators are because requirements that could ability 62 mpg by 2025.WHAT'S AVAILABLE:
Cars accepting 40 mpg or added cover those with hybrid, electric and agitation engines with avant-garde technology. The cars are about pricier than their gasoline counterparts. But paying added upfront could account gasoline costs over the lifetime of the car, abnormally if pump prices accumulate rising.
Toyota Prius
Among hybrids, you'll acquisition the Toyota Prius and Honda's Insight and Hybrids use a accepted gasoline engine and a big array to ability the car.
By comparison, a basal Civic with a agitation engine starts about $16,000.
Diesel ammunition is addition option. Volkswagen makes agent versions of its Golf, Jetta and Sportwagen. The baby Golf starts at $23,000 — about $5,000 added than the gasoline version. The agent wagon costs about $25,000.
Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI
General Motors offers the Chevrolet Volt, which goes about 40 afar on array ability afore it needs to be recharged with a advancement gasoline engine. The engine can extend the car's ambit to 375 miles. Nissan is alms the Leaf, an all-electric car, which can biking 100 afar on array ability afore it needs recharging.
The abject sticker amount for the Volt is $40,280 and the Leaf has a sticker amount of $32,780. Both authorize for a $7,500 federal tax credit.
GAS PRICE WORRIES:
Automakers wish cars they can advertise to humans anxious about pump prices, which are rising. They're averaging added than $3.19 a gallon — 53 cents college than a year ago — and could ascend to $4 if agitation in the Middle East continues to agitate oil supplies.
