It's pricey to be so concerned, isn't it? General Motors has announced the base price of its Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in car with a range of about 40 miles just using battery power, is $41,000 before a $7,500 federal tax credit.

According to The New York Times, the Nissan Leaf, a fully electric car that goes on sale in December, starts at $32,780, and you can assuage your liberal greenie guilt with a Toyota Prius for anywhere from $23,560 to $35,000, depending on how tricked-out you want it.

And the Leaf has a range of 100 miles. Beyond 40 miles the Volt needs a gas-powered -- only the expensive premium gas will work, G.M. officials say -- engine to run another 300 or so miles.

Dealers in selected states, including California, Michigan and New York, "should begin receiving the vehicle in November," the Times says.

"Electric-car technology has been around for years, but the high cost to make the vehicles has prevented automakers from producing them for the mass market," the Washington Post notes. 

We're sure the car will be highly popular among people who believe they're "saving energy," who are unaware how electricity is generated.

G.M. plans to build 10,000 Volts by the end of 2011 and 30,000 in 2012, and most dealers expect a waiting list, the Times says, adding that "Nissan said in May that the Leaf was already sold out for this year, with 13,000 preorders in the United States."

And since G.M. is a government operation these days it "does not expect to earn a profit from early generations of the vehicle," the Times says, noting that G.M.'s contenting itself with the Volt "improving its reputation among environmentally conscious consumers" and furthering electric-car technology.