Electric cars coming soon to a road near you

Aixam Mega City Although the previous dealer for this two- or four-seater electric car went into administration last year, it's since been picked up by Aixam Mega and the car - based on a French design - is on sale in the UK for £14,175. Like the G-Wiz, this is one of the few real-world success stories - there are 180 of the Mega City cars on British roads today Photograph: PR

BYD First all-electric car available to the mass-market Range: 60 miles Sold only in China but plans to less abroad in 2010 Cost: $20,000 (£13,300) As well as making cars, this Chinese company (the initials stand for “build your dreams”) is also the world’s largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries. This expertise has allowed it to develop cheap lithium-iron batteries that can move the compact BYD car for 60 miles on a full charge. The first all-electric car available to the mass-market, it is sold only in China today for $20,000 but the company has plans to sell it abroad by 2010 Photograph: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty

G-Wiz L-Ion Lastest upgrade to the familiar 2-seater electric runabout Top speed 51 mph Range: 75 miles Available in May Cost: £15,795 This is the newest edition of the car that Top Gear Magazine loves to crash-test. While the last upgrade added a Lotus-designed safety cage, the current incarnation extends the battery range from 48 miles to a more commuter-friendly 75 miles. Deliveries of the £15,795 electric runabout start in May Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty

Mitsubishi i-MiEV Battery will charge to 80% full in 20 minutes Range: 100 miles Top speed: 87 mph For sale in the UK later this year Cost: lease for £750 per month This long-awaited electric city car boasts that you can top-up its battery to 80% in just 20 minutes – most of today's electric cars take several hours to reach that level. The i-MiEV has a top speed of 87 mph, is slightly bigger than the Smart ForTwo and is due on sale in the UK later this year Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty

MyCar Italian-designed electric car Range: 60 miles Top speed: 40 mph Cost: £9,995 This tiny Italian-designed electric car was launched at the British Motor Show last year. It'll only run for 60 miles on one charge and the maximum speed is 40mph, but a quirky design could see it appealing to London drivers. It went on sale in March for £9,995 at EV Stores Photograph: PR

TH!NK City Designed by Ford On sale in Norway and Denmark Comes in 2 and 4-seater versions Range: 112 miles Top speed: 62 mph Cost: £12,000 On sale in Norway and Denmark, this Ford-designed electric car is available in two- and four-seater versions. Its main point of difference is the range of the battery, which should last for 112 miles between recharges. Unlike the Scandinavian model, the UK edition – likely due in 2010 – will have power-steering Photograph: Ford Motor Company/Getty Images

Tesla Roadster Top speed: 130 mph 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds Range: 244 miles Available in Europe next year Cost: $100,000 Probably the sportiest-looking electric car on sale today. This sports car accelerates from 0-60mph in four seconds and has a top speed of 125mph. Already on sale in the US, people in Europe will be able to buy them next year for €100,000. A new "affordable" $49,000 family car called the Model S is also in the pipeline Photograph: PR

Mini E BMW unveiled its electric Mini last year, based on its popular Mini Cooper diesel car. The back seats have been replaced by a large battery pack. But the 150kW electric motor fed by the lithium-ion battery gives it the equivalent of around 200 horsepower. With a top speed of 95mph, the car will travel 150 miles on a full charge and go from zero to 60mph in 8.5 seconds Photograph: PR

Smart Ed Has been trialled by councils and compaies for 2 years Range: 70 miles Top Speed: 60 mph No retail version in UK The electric version of the famous Smart ForTwo. While councils and companies have already trialled it for two years, there’s still no sign of a retail version on UK roads and Mercedes-Benz hasn’t decided which battery technology to use for a consumer model. It’s capable of a top speed of 60mph and running 70 miles before needing a recharge. Photograph: PR

The Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle and the Michigan governor, Jennifer Granholm, lead a parade of General Motors employees and vehicles to kick-off the GM press conference during press days at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan on 11 January 2009. The show opens to the public on 17 January Photograph: John F Martin/General Motors