Nissan Leaf vs Toyota Prius

Nissan Leaf is an electric vehicle which produces no tail-pipe emissions. Toyota Prius is a gas-electric hybrid, producing less pollution than an ordinary car but still producing some tailpipe emissions.

The Nissan Leaf can travel a maximum of about 100 miles between charges. The Toyota Prius can travel several times further before filling up at a gas station.

A new version of the Toyota Prius created in 2010 allows the Prius to drive up to 13 miles on battery power, meaning that in typical use, the car could run on battery power most of the time. In electric mode, this Prius produces no tailpipe emissions, just like the Nissan Leaf.

Producing no tailpipe emissions does not mean that a car is pollution-free. Much of the world's electricity comes from coal, which is responsible for pollution during mining and when burned for electricity. Also, a substantial portion of the pollution caused by automobile use comes from producing steel and other parts of the manufacturing process. Creating batteries also causes pollution.