Detroit 2013: Cadillac ELR

The Cadillac ELR is based on the technology of it's sister car, the Chevrolet Volt, which has also been utilised in the Volt's European cousin, the Vauxhall/Opel Ampera. Pairing up a petrol generator to an electric motor brings some of the benefits of an electrically driven system without incorporating the range anxiety that generally accompanies it, but once the system runs out of pre-charged electricity and starts to use the generator to supply power, it's effectively got an engine trying to carry around both an engine, electric motor, fuel tank, and batteries all together, so the benefits can wane quickly on longer journeys. Still, if most of the trips it makes on a daily basis are less than a hundred miles or so, and the longer trips are only occasional, this sort of vehicle could have some real benefits. It will be interesting to see how this technology fares compared to traditional all-electric vehicles as both become more widely available.