Electric vehicles have been trying to burst onto the automobile scene for years, with very little success. This may be the year they finally begin winning over the hearts of consumers. Chevrolet has released their new electric car, the Volt. There will be approximately 45,000 of these cars manufactured through 2012, and they can be purchased for under $40,000.

The listed price is $41,000, but there is a tax break that will allow buyers to save an additional $7,500 on the purchase of the Volt and other electric vehicles. Dealers won’t be getting this car in stock until later this year, and many towns are already starting to plan charging stations. Electric cars like the Volt need to be plugged in to charge. This means that cities and towns throughout America will need to begin having stations that allow cars to be charged for a fee.

Will electric vehicles finally catch on, or will this just be another flop like we’ve seen so many times before. Only time will tell.