There are three driving modes and an electric range of 100 miles to a full charge.
The Karma's all-electric range was found to be 32 miles by the EPA under its test criteria.
ENGADGET: Fisker Karma gets EPA-certified 52MPGe, sales ready to begin
The Energi has a nominal all-electric range of 21 miles, after which the gas engine comes whispering onstage.
And in Chicago last week, Kia debuted its Cross GT Hybrid concept, which has an all-electric range of 20 miles.
The Volt is a plug-in hybrid with 25 to 50 miles of electric range, and another 300 from its gas engine.
"We are proud C-MAX Energi is the first plug-in hybrid that can deliver a 550-mile overall range and more than 20 miles of electric range as it gives customers great flexibility to commute to work, then take off for a road trip while passing many gas stations along the way, " says Davis.
ENGADGET: Ford's 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, arrives later this fall
These join the luxury-oriented limited-production Tesla Model S all-electric and Fisker Karma extended-range electric sedans.
Setting the bar for electric driving range, Model S offers 40 kWh, 60 kWh and 85 kWh battery options.
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For example: Key to the Ford hybrid's system big numbers is its all-electric speed range of up to 62 mph.
WSJ: 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid Review: A Fine Car Falls Way Short on MPG | Rumble Seat by Dan Neil
The electric driving range of the Panamera S E-Hybrid is estimated to be greater than 20 miles based upon current NEDC testing.
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As with other plug-in hybrids, there is 25 to 40 miles of electric-only range.
The long-trip predicament is one of the reasons Chevrolet chose to make an extended-range electric vehicle.
The 109-year-old company said it will make the Cadillac Converj Concept, a luxury coupe with extended-range electric technology.
With the blessing of founder and Karma-designer Henryk Fisker, the tiny VL team set about converting several extended-range electric Karmas to gasoline-only propulsion.
FORBES: Why I'm 'Desecrating' Fisker's Beautiful Electric Sedan With A Brawny Gasoline Engine
If you're launching a line of extended-range electric vehicles, ala the Chevy Volt, it's hard to imagine a better person to help you with the launch than Bob Lutz, the driving force behind that very car.
Electric-only driving range is expected to be more than 16 miles on the NEDC.
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One of the biggest concerns about all electric vehicles is driving range.
FORBES: Electric vehicle charging stations now on Google Maps
The range of electric car batteries is known to shrink sometimes in cold weather, as industry experts have discovered.
The main obstacles, according to Mr Urquhart, are the comparatively short range of electric vehicles and the lack of places to charge them.
Because owners plug in to charge the advanced lithium-ion battery in C-MAX Energi, the vehicle is able to achieve increased electric mode and total range.
ENGADGET: Ford's 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, arrives later this fall
Earlier this year it launched the first of what it promises will be a range of electric cars that will undercut those made by American and European producers, in part by using a novel material in the batteries' electrodes.
When I talked to Agassi last Monday, he was his usual ebullient self, infusing the business case for Better Place with his mission of making electric cars as attractive to own as petroleum-powered models by eliminating the high cost and limited range of most current electric vehicles.
As the first luxury sports sedan on the market with a range-extended electric powertrain, the Karma creates an alluring class of its own.
ENGADGET: Fisker Karma gets EPA-certified 52MPGe, sales ready to begin
So, essentially, you'd have a vehicle that would be almost zero emissions during normal driving, but would not have the limited range of an electric vehicle.
Sure there are interesting in-car adaptations of entertainment services, data will be big, and electric vehicle drivers need a range of battery-related services that can be served by apps.
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Having found an electric car with the appropriate range, performance and number of seats, buyers must then consider how it will be charged something that may only be practical on a private driveway or in a garage.
GM's Chevrolet Volt, an electric car with a combustion engine range extender, could be another beneficiary.
At Frankfurt, Mr Ghosn presented what he described as a complete range of affordable purely electric cars.
Google is now jumping in to help alleviate this range anxiety by including electric vehicle charging station locations on its Google Maps program.
FORBES: Electric vehicle charging stations now on Google Maps
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