With all this talk of faux-environmentalism (carbon credits being one of the worst offenders) Here's a step in the right direction- the Tesla Roadster. 100% electric, 0-60 in 4 seconds, approx 220 miles per charge, zero emmisions. Doesn't look half bad either. Unfortunately it's a tad expensive for someone of my modest means ( $ 98,000.0!) But what's important is that the technology is there. It is feasible, and it is marketable. Admittedly not too many people will be able to afford a 98K car, but as time goes on the price will go down and the technology will get better.

To check it out, goto http://www.teslamotors.com/

Cars like this are proof that the big auto manufacturers have been dragging their heels, trying to milk out gasoline cars as long as humanly possible. When enough people screamed, they threw the masses a bone with the hybrid concept, which really was a step backward as GM had already field tested an electric car in the mid-90's! Now there are multiple smaller auto companies who have struck out on their own and are developing feasible electric cars, while the big boys continue to hum and haw about it. Thing is, these smaller companies already have production models for sale on the market now, while the big autos talk vaguely about R&D that might produce an electric car in a couple years. When all the big boys do go electric you can be sure the Honda's and Toyotas will slaughter the Fords and GM's. Might be the final nail in the coffin for em' too.

Ultimately it will be the big autos refusal to go electric until it's too late that could be their undoing. That, or it could be their salvation if played differently. What if FORD did a major turnaround, partnered with or bought some of these smaller companies that have had electric cars on the market for a while now and put out an all electric line in 2009? They could probably wrangle subsidies or tax breaks from various governments for the first few years with the argument that they wanted to produce zero emission vehicles that would be affordable for the average joe. It would also be good for the whole idea of responsible corporate stewardship and going green. Consumers would save money too- drastically reduced maintenance costs as there are less than 20 moving parts in one of these babies, and running at a cost of less than 2 cents per mile it knocks the socks off of any gas or diesel out there.