I must say that I find this thread very interesting and have been trolling on both the CT200h and Volt websites as I am looking to purchase one or the other... Ugh, decisions, decisions.
Overall, my cost will be pretty much exactly the same with the $7500 tax credit and 0% financing on the fully-loaded Volt vs the semi-loaded CT200h (no sport package, just NuLuxe). Compare it to a fully-loaded PiP (Nav, premium sound, etc) a PiP is actually more even with the $2500 tax credit but you actually get further with the Volt on electricity (the ugliness of the Prius along with its useless 11 miles of mpcharge tossed it out the window with a second wave goodbye though so no further thoughts on that). For a single person like me who commutes relatively few miles during the week, but is a notorious road tripper on the weekend, a purely electric car (ie, Leaf) would make no sense at all. I'll admit, I like the look of the Lexus better, but the Volt has way better pick up off the line. Sure it beats the CT200h by a second in 0-60 but overall you can actually feel that extra bit when taking off and that isn't because of being inefficient, that's just pure electric torque. While we can all claim we are okay with no power because we are saving the world by being green, please tell me that you would complain if the CT200h had 273 ft-lb of torque like the Volt vs the meager 105 that it has? I just don't know... But, what I do encourage you all to do, even if it is to just become more aware of the technology and the awards the Volt has won. Volt owners are super crazy in love with their cars too!! It received the highest ratings in customer satisfaction, just recently won Best European Car of the Year - it is the first time that an American-made car has ever won this - and won Car of the Year last year. Don't poo poo it without at least having given it a go (and by that I mean a test drive). I am okay with the interior, it is much more futuristic than the Lexus by far. Something you would expect out of a futuristic car.
Now for the Lexus, I currently own a Toyota and sure the Lexus feels very similar inside to my Toyota so in that sense it is comfortable, I like that I can have a sunroof with the CT200. I don't care that the CT200h can fit "five" people, because unless you are shoving a 5-year old back in that back seat (with no child safety seat) along with 2 adult-sized humans, there is NO WAY that you are actually seating 5 adults in this car. Instead with the Volt, you actually have cupholders, charging outlets and 2 extra inches of legroom for your rear passengers that you don't with the CT200. That aside, the driver's seat (the one seat in the car I do care about) is more comfy in the Lexus. As said, the look of the Lexus is better. You don't have to worry about charging (although I can charge at home and 110V charger is sufficient for most owners). And, while maybe it is the snobby thing to say, who doesn't want to say they drive a Lexus vs a Chevy? Hmmmm....
To those putting down coal energy vs gas. Your coal energy is US made, your fuel is not necessarily so. Also, depending on where you live, your energy source from electric may be very similar to gas (usually it is slightly cleaner regardless of coal or not) or it may be much cleaner. For example, Californians are mostly electrified
by natural gas and hydroelectric so they can rest easy knowing an electric car is actually better for the environment. Plus, if you are similar to many of the other Volt owners and running about 250+ mpg, you will need very little of that premium fuel. Additionally, for those that mentioned the cost of the battery, a replacement battery is $3000, the same as a new transmission in a used car so that shouldn't be a worry and has the same warranty as the battery in the CT200h.
However, that is where I get stuck... For that 40 miles, do I pay $3.75 (for now) for a gallon of gas to goodness knows what country, or do I pay $1.50 for a full charge to my local electric company? Do I sacrifice in power for the Lexus look? Do I worry about new technology (Volt) vs the tested Prius engine? The way i see it, no matter what I decide, I am getting a pretty spectacular car.