Nissan LEAF

When Nissan launched the 2013 all-electric LEAF, the company boasted the new car's improvements over the previous model year—faster charging, a larger cargo space, and increased range. But while Nissan executives were keen to talk about how much better the home-grown U.S. LEAF was compared with its predecessor, one little fact went unnoticed: the 2013 LEAF has less torque than Japanese-built 2011 and 2012 models.

Despite what friends and family might tell you, however, you don’t need a big gas-guzzling car to raise a family. Check out three electric vehicles that can work well for family life.

April was another good month for the Nissan LEAF, which moved 1,936 units nationwide to post its second best month of sales since hitting the market in late 2010.