Tesla Motors 2 seat roadsters are in production now. The first
model is about $109,000. A second model will be a sporty 4 door priced
at around $60,000. The money generated from sales of that will,
if things go as hoped, allow a third model, code named BlueStar priced
at around $30,000.
Mitsubishi i-MiEV - a small electric car which
would be good for city use.
info.
A recent
survey by J.D. Power and Associates showed before the market
price is revealed, 72 percent of consumers say they are
“definitely/probably” interested in having hybrid-electric technology
in their next new vehicle.
Hybrids excel
in not just one, but several areas:
gas mileage
- Typically, people report getting mileage in the 45-48 MPG range with
Civic Hybrids and Toyota Priuses. Owning a hybrid is like buying an
insurance policy against future increases in the price of gasoline.
Energy is going to be an issue that you are going to hear about
constantly from now on, as countries like China, India, Russia and many
others greatly increase their consumption of energy. We've already seen
that when gas prices have suddenly jumped, sales of hybrid vehicles
have surged. It makes sense to plan now and get one before everyone
else decides they want one too. In addition to saving money, you can
reduce the frequency between fill ups. With ranges of up to 600
miles, some people only fill up just once or twice a month!
reduced
emissions - up to 90% lower than regular vehicles. Hybrids produce
less of several pollutants: carbon dioxide (the global warming gas),
Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), Carbon Monoxide (CO; a poisonous gas),
Particulate Matter (PM: tiny particles of solid matter that lodge in
the lungs and deposit on buildings), Formaldehyde (HCHO; a lung
irritant and carcinogen). The difference is so significant that
Congress has granted a Clean-Fuel Federal tax deduction.
energy
independence - Conservatives like former CIA Director James
Woolsey, are driving hybrids, as a way to make America energy
independent. The less fuel we burn, the less reliant the US is on
foreign oil.
You don't see many alternative fuel pickups. That may change with the VIA VTrux. They also will have SUVs and vans.