GM’s Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid currently gets fewer than 85 miles in range on a single charge. Getty Images The electric car era may hit in 2017 when at least two battery-powered cars that can attain 200 miles of driving range and cost less than $40,000 enter the market. In addition to Tesla Motors Inc. ‘s forthcoming Model 3, a leading battery maker says it is preparing a pack for an electric car that is more than double that of most vehicles on the road today, but at a similar price. “We are definitely working on making a 200-mile-range battery electric vehicle at around the $30,000 to $35,000 price target,” said Prabhakar Patil, the chief executive officer of LG Chem Power Inc., a U.S.-based research arm of the South Korean battery company. “It’s more than a possibility. We feel we will be able to support such a vehicle around […]