In 1997, I test-drove a GM EV1.

It permanently altered my view of cars.

During that period, a Chicago newspaper asked me to write a feature story on University of Illinois students designing an electric car, which was closer to an electric go-cart than the EV1.

A few years later, GM unplugged its electric-car division and crushed nearly all of the EV1s, even while thousands of people waited to lease one.

It provided the perfect opening for Elon Musk’s Tesla nearly a decade later.

I’m no fan of Musk, but Tesla nearly owns the market for electric cars.

Current choices include a score of alternatives among electric vehicles from pickup trucks to sport scars.

However, trying to actually buy one is frustrating.

Thousands of potential buyers placed a deposit with Lucid, a direct competitor to Tesla.

Yet after Lucid’s first very limited deliveries last fall, only a few hundred Lucid Air cars cruise the roads.

Lucid models travel 400 to 500 miles on a charge, putting it at the front of the pack.

Similarly, the Rivian R1-T pickup truck, built just up Interstate 74 in Normal, costs about $68,000, but just try to buy one.

The new Ford F-150 Lightning received rave reviews from critics, but there’s at least a yearlong wait to buy one. The same applies to the new Cadillac Lyriq starting at $63,000.

Reports indicate some dealers are asking $30,000 above list to put one in your driveway.

The Chevy Bolt offered the best value of any electric car on the market, until a few of the flawed batteries ignited, and the car was withdrawn for a year.

Now, it’s back at a new lower price of about $27,000, a real bargain.

The Volkswagen ID.4 at $41,000 and the Polestar 2 at $50,000 are currently in limited delivery.

Polestar is the electric-car division of Volvo, which now is a Chinese company.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, both at about $41,000, receive plaudits but are only available in a few states with strict emission regulations.

They should arrive here next year.

The IRS may give you a $7,500 tax credit depending on whether the company you choose has sold fewer than 200,000 fully electric vehicles.

The companies are currently lobbying Congress to raise that figure.

Tesla and GM no longer qualify.

All vehicles, whether internal combustion or electric, involve compromises.

Nearly all electric vehicles share bullet-like acceleration, with even modestly priced models shooting from 0 to 60 mph in six seconds or less.

That’s far better than the majority of gas-powered vehicles.

However, most gas vehicles travel between 350 and 650 miles without refueling.

Very few electric vehicles reach over 300 miles before you need to stop for a charge.

Some of the new high-voltage models using the newest charging stations bring the batteries up to 80 percent of their range in 15-20 minutes, which is only double the time required to fill the gas tank.

Every electric-vehicle maker tries to outdo its competition with ever-more-futurist displays and user interface.

The minimalist Tesla Model 3 uses just one big iPad-like screen in the center of the dash. You have to look to the right to read the speedometer.

In contrast, the Lucid Air incorporates a retracting screen about the size of an iPad mini that chooses what you see on the trio of joined displays that nearly wrap around the entire dash.

Many companies include some degree of voice control as well.

The three most important factors when choosing a hybrid are range, ease of operation (some try too hard to bring science fiction to life) and ease of repair.

Buying the latest and greatest electric car causes frustration when you have to drive/tow it to Chicago or Indianapolis for service.

At least they don’t require oil changes.

For me, range surpasses all other factors.

Once I find an affordable electric vehicle with a 400-plus-mile range, I’ll trade in my hybrid.

Rich Warren, who lives in the Champaign area, is a longtime reviewer of consumer electronics. Email him at hifiguy@volo.net.

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