It is a fairly well recognized fact that the Toyota Prius is the best selling hybrid vehicle currently on the road. It could be the fact that it was the first generally embraced hybrid car design, or it could be a statement on Toyota’s engineering. However, there might be a much simpler reason that people aren’t buying Hybrids from Honda: they look just like the other cars.

Undoubtedly trying to capitalize on the strong model line and branding they already have, Honda offered some of its standard models in Hybrid form. However, the only difference between a normal Honda Civic and a hybrid Honda Civic is a small logo on the trunk of the vehicle. Based on recent market research (and the beliefs of some auto analysts), it seems that one of the reasons people want to buy a hybrid vehicle is so that they can be seen driving a hybrid vehicle. With the current Hollywood flavor to the environmental movement, that information can’t be easily set aside.

By becoming defined as the “look” of a hybrid car, the Toyota Prius has set the bar for other auto manufacturers. Honda has decided to respond by releasing a new style of pure hybrid that is distinctive from their other models. The current release date is scheduled for 2009. Toyota itself is limited by the success of its Prius. The new line of Hybrids that Toyota is designing are said to include elements of the Prius “look” that has come to define hybrids in the minds of many consumers.

Just when you thought you were finally starting to understand the options available: gas, hybrid, and battery, it’s time to remind you that the world of electric vehicles is ever changing.

The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a modified version of the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). The concept is generally understood to refer to vehicles that can be recharged off of a standard household plug. A standard HEV carries a small amount of electrical charge, enough of a charge to travel short distances, but not enough for sustained, longer-distance travel on electrical power alone. In the process of being converted into a PHEV, more battery capacity is added, increasing the potential charge that can be held as well as the overall potential range of the vehicle. Due to the more extensive use of batteries in PHEVs than in HEVs, it is thought that the lifespan of the batteries will be less.

Currently, while most major automakers have announced plans to release PHEVs, they are only available in the form of existing hybrids which have been converted. There are a number of small companies that can perform this conversion. However, if you have the mechanical skill to do it on your own, you have the option of purchasing a conversion kit.

At the present time, electricity is still cheaper and less polluting than gasoline (based on how electricity is generated across the country), so a vehicle that can go “gas optional” as needed can certainly be a benefit to both the environment and your wallet!

The concept many of us have in mind when we think of an electric car is a small vehicle without much cargo capacity. For cars, this is the exact situation. It’s rare that many people use the full capacity of their car, and you pay the fuel/energy cost to haul around the empty space when you don’t use it.

But what about people who need to transport cargos, but over short distances, is there an electric vehicle option for them? ZAP (standing for zero air pollution) has developed a number of electric vehicles for different purposes, and one of them is the Xebra. Coming in at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of around ten thousand dollars (exact cost depends on features chosen), the Xebra is a handy tool for shipping smaller cargos in an urban area. The Xebra has seating for two and a cargo capacity of 500lbs.

Classified as a three-wheeled motorcycle, the Xebra can go up to 40 miles per hour and has a range of 40 miles. While this might seem short ranged for a delivery vehicle, in a situation with planned and regular deliveries, it can be perfect! ZAP calculates the cost of driving the Xebra at three cents per mile (costs can vary depending on local electricity costs), so it can be a smart investment if you’ve got a regular delivery routing within the Xebra’s range. To top it off, you can get options such as an upgraded stereo (radio and CD), leather seats, and more.

So, while they can’t yet do deliveries cross-country, electric trucks can a great tool for delivering in the city or local area at a low cost!

If you have done your research and decided on the car you plan on converting to an electric system, one of the next issues you need to tackle is the model of battery you will use. There are three primary types of batteries that are typically used in electric vehicles. They are: lead acid, nickel metal hydride (NiMH), or lithium-ion (Li-ion). While the exact figures involved should be calculated for the specific vehicle, it is good to understand the general nature of each type.

Lead acid based batteries are the most inexpensive and commonly available for conversions. Unfortunately, they also provide the least range for a battery operated electric vehicle. Conversions powered by lead acid based batteries will usually have a range of about 20-50 miles. Certainly not what you’d need for a long-distance vehicle, but quite appropriate for day-to-day commutes.

NiMH batteries can be the most expensive of the three choices. Similar to the Nickel Cadmium batteries used at home (except that they use a hydrogen-absorbing alloy in place of cadmium). These batteries are able to store more energy per pound than lead acid based batteries, giving ranges of approximately 120 miles between charges.

Li-ion batteries are the newest type of model, and are often the choice for new purpose-built electric cars (rather than converted models). They can be less expensive than NiMH batteries, by virtue of their newer arrival in the world of batteries, they can also be more challenging to obtain. Li-ion batteries can provide up to 200-300 miles per charge.

While there are many more issues to consider with regard to batteries, you need to know what you want for your car before you make that final decision, as the choice of battery is often a balancing game of cost versus range needed for the car versus available space.

As wonderful as the Internet is for resources on converting automobiles to electric power, unfortunately it can’t give mechanical ability to those without it, or give time to those who lack it. So, if you have money, but are lacking in either (or both) time and skill, where do you turn? Hybrid Technologies Inc. is one of the firms that can help you out.

Hybrid Technologies is a company that sells lithium powered products. As part of their product line, they convert many popular models of gasoline cars, and then sell the resulting electric cars to the public. They offer models such as the Smart Car, the Mini Cooper, the PT Cruiser and more, including motorcycles in their product line. While these cars bear the same strong feature advantages of their gas counterparts, the engine power certainly does not suffer in the electric conversion. The converted model of the PT cruiser can manage 0-60 miles per hour in 7.2 seconds, can cruise at speeds of over 80 miles per hour, and has a range of approximately 120 miles. Conversions such as this take electric cars from the world of short ranged city trips and make them into cars for everyday use on longer journeys.

More than just a conversion company, Hybrid technologies also works in research and innovation in the field of Li-ion power. Recently they completed work on a lithium rapid recharge system that can reduce charging times by up to 65%. Definitely a company to keep an eye on, Hybrid Technologies is a leader in its field.

We have spent a bit of time looking at electric cars, so lets look at a two-wheeled electric vehicle, the bicycle.

While people understand the drive to electric cars, many are confused by electric bicycles. Why would you want to turn a great exercise into something effortless?

While “people-powered” bicycles certainly have their merits, electric bicycles still have their merits. In an urban environment, getting out of the automobile mindset has some distinct advantages. Bicycles are more agile than cars, easier to park, and can often go faster than cars in high traffic situations. You can usually take a bicycle onto public transit, permitting you to extend the range of your electric bike even further (as needed), and you can always take it inside for safety. To top it all off, most electric bikes have sufficient range to handle day-to-day life in a city. Most traditional electric bikes still include the pedal assembly as well as the electrical one, so you can simply turn off your throttle if you want to ride for a while on your own power.

Whether you enjoy a relaxing and leisurely cruise, or if you want to arrive at your destination (such as work) without working up a sweat and rumpling your clothes, an electric bike is a surprisingly effective option! If the cost of an electric bike is an obstacle for you, there are kits for sale on the World Wide Web that you can use to convert an existing bicycle into a functioning electric as well as pedal driven vehicle.

For a great source on electric bikes, click here.

The demand for electric cars has been small but vocal for a number of years. Since major automakers are only now beginning to fill that demand with hybrid and electric vehicles, many people have gone down the path of converting vehicles to electric on their own.

The first step in the process of converting a car from gas to electric is to get the car you want to convert. This might seem simple, but there are a few important things to consider when you choose your car that will make the rest of the process easier.

First and foremost amongst your decisions are shape and weight. Whatever car you choose, you should try to ensure that it is light while still being secure and safe. There are many factors, from temperature to road conditions that affect your energy efficiency and are beyond your control. However, the weight of your car is something you can control. Aerodynamics are also something you can control, so be sure to pick something that won’t waste a lot of energy fighting wind resistance.

Secondly, you should consider the age of your car and the ease in finding replacement parts. Even common cars can become difficult to find replacement parts for when they are a decade or more old. If you’re going through the trouble to convert your car to electric, be sure to choose a car that will be easy and convenient to repair as necessary.

Third, we come to the question of quality. Just because you can get a cheap “donor car” doesn’t mean it will make a good electric car. Also, if you wouldn’t want to drive it as a gas car, why would you spend the time and money to convert it to electric? Also, why convert it if it’s a rustbucket?

Lastly, you need to have a car that can support the batteries necessary to run an electric vehicle while keeping them accessible.

So, you’ve got some guidelines on how to choose a car to start with. Most of all, be sure to search the web and ask for assistance. The electric car community is a very supportive one, and many people are willing to share (or already have shared in online posts) their experience with converting different model types.

If driving an environmentally friendly car has led you to give up your dream of driving the sexiest sports car on the block, you should think again. Tesla Motors has put sex on wheels in the form the Tesla Roadster.

How fast can an electric car go? Well, this one can do 0-60 in about 4 seconds. It’s a 100% electric car that can go about 200 miles on a charge. As to driving, it couldn’t be easier. No clutching, gear changing, or sluggish shifting (if it’s an automatic). Simply push the pedal and go!

Producing one-third of the pollution of comparable popular hybrids, and one-tenth the pollution of comparable sports cars (figures from the Tesla website), the Tesla Roadster is a great choice for the environment. At an equivalent efficiency of 135 miles per gallon, and an estimated cost per mile of 2 cents, the Roadster also makes for a good choice in the wallet. Add that to a beautiful exterior and you have a car that’s smart to buy while feeling good at the same time!

The design team at Tesla has worked with the concept of multiple uses for components, so the beautiful design is quite functional and safe. The battery box is functional and structural, and the air ducts do double duty as energy absorbing zones. The Lithium-Ion battery system has been tested thoroughly to ensure than any battery malfunctions are confined to the cell in which they occur. The Battery Safety Monitor in the Roadster disconnects the battery packs from the electrical system of the car if malfunctions occur.

Now, if you’ve bought the best looking car on the block, you’ll care about how secure it is from theft. The personal pin activation, valet mode, and charging intelligence features let you go out in your car and feel confident that you won’t lose it.

Researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York have come up with a new type of battery that could revolutionize the field of electrical transport. The battery is made out of cellulose with a coating of lithium and carbon tubes the size of a virus. Essentially, it is a sheet of black paper that can store an electrical charge.

Now, what does this mean for electric cars and bikes? Well, to start with, the batteries can function in a temperature range of -73 degrees to 148 degrees Celsius (about -99 to 298 degrees Fahrenheit). This means that temperature effectively ceases to be any barrier to the operation of an electric vehicle or appliance.

To top off the functionality, it makes for interesting ideas in automobile design. If the batteries are built into the frame of the car, rather than taking up the trunk or the area traditionally occupied by the engine, it could lead to much larger car interiors, increased passenger capacity of smaller cars, and a number of other useful developments in car design.

This technology can be used in everything from car starters to medical implants, and would be an excellent replacement for the metal and acid batteries we commonly use today in many applications. Unfortunately, with cost as a barrier to development of these batteries, we’ll likely see them used in space before they get put into our cars. However, with economies of scale, they can eventually become quite affordable.

It might be something for the future, but at the rate technology moves, the future might be closer than we think!

Standing for “Zero Emissions No Noise” ZENN Motorcars is a small but strong force in the electric car movement. Costing only pennies a mile to operate, ZENN’s three door hatchback is an excellent car for driving around your neighborhood. The car has a range of 35 miles, and a top speed of 25mph. It can be charged from any standard 110V power socket. The electric engine is remarkably cheap to maintain, lacking the need for oil changes and much other routine maintenance required by car. Even the brakes cheaper since they only see light duty as the car uses regenerative braking and travels at lower speeds

More than just a power system, ZENN has put together an excellent car. Comparing favorably to other automobiles, the car can come with heater, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, panoramic sunroof and many more great features. The tiny frame even includes an impressive 13 cubic feet of storage. All of this with a starting sticker price of $12,750 (base model). To top it all off, the car looks neat. While the hatchback makes it look more utilitarian than sporty, the stylish interior and good lines of the car will let you look as good as your conscience feels while you drive electric!

If you’re curious how much driving a car from ZENN might cost you, grab your most recent electrical bill (you’ll need to input your cost per kW to be accurate) and surf on over to their calculator here. This site will tell you what the cost of driving electric will be based on how much you drive in a week, and how much you might save depending on your circumstances.

Of course, one of the final questions to consider: where can I get a ZENN car? Well, you’ll need to check their website to find out. You certainly won’t find this at many standard dealerships, but you can find a retailer near here.

While it certainly isn’t suitable for a long trip through the country, a ZENN Motorcar can be perfect for a city dweller and fills a niche that the major automakers have yet to step into.