The race is also on for electric cars

Secretary of Energy Steven Chu discussed battery-powered cars during a recent speech on the state of the nation’s science community.

Chu, in an address at Fermilab June 2, said the race to develop a car battery that can go 300 miles on a single charge will happen in the next 10 years. He said China, Korea and Germany are trying to be first to develop it.

Hybrid cars, or a gas-electric cars, have been the newest development in the last decade. The Toyota Prius, introduced in the U.S. in 2000, gets approximately 50 miles per gallon, the best among hybrids according to hybridcars.com.

Most electric cars are available only in select markets. Most cars will be available later this year, according to hybridcars.com. Today’s electric cars get approximately 70 to 85 miles on one charge.

“All these countries are racing to see who’s going to dominate the American market,” Chu said.