The 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid proves that environmentalism and style can go hand and hand. For decades Honda has provided its drivers with reliable automobiles that are affordable. With the introduction of the Civic Hybrid, Honda has not just lived up to their expectations, but exceeded them.

Thanks to its refined gasoline-electric powertrain, the Civic Hybrid will make your visits to the gas pump alot less frequent. With the uncertainty of gas prices, this is a benefit most would consider a luxury. With an EPA estimated city/highway rating of 40 city/ 45 highway mpg, worries about gas prices will be a thing of the past. Few cars can compete with this EPA which leads U.S. News to rank the Honda Civic Hybrid 3 out of the 37 affordable cars they reviewed.

The Civic Hybrid has achieved the Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV) status. This means the car is a Super-Ultra-Low-Emissions Vehicle with zero evaporative emissions and carries a 15 year/ 150,000 mile warranty on all emissions equipment. This is a standard that started in California and has since been adopted by many states throughout the country.

With its high quality, sleek design, and gas sipping abilities the Honda Civic Hybrid ranks high among hybrids and small cars. Currently it is available in only a four door sedan model that is packed full of options. Such options include leather seats, navigation system, audio USB interface and more. Just because this car reduces your impact on the environement doesn't mean it can't be fun to drive

Honda's hybrid technology Integrated Motor Assist IMA® system combines a super-efficient 1.3 liter, 8 valve i-VTEC ® 4 cylinder gasoline engine with a lightweight, high-output electric motor. The Civic Hybrid uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which gives the feel of a smooth automatic, but efficiently of a manual. For maximum efficiency it has an idle stop feature which automatically shuts off the vehicle's gasoline engine when you stop. This will help save on gas and keep the air free from pollutants.

Honda's suggested starting price is $23, 650 and goes up from there depending on the options that are added. The biggest competitor of the Civic Hybrid is the 2009 Toyota Prius Hybrid which starts just around $22,000. According to Forbes "The Honda Civic Hybrid is one of the best hybrids available, with an affordable price, excellent driving dynamics, and fuel economy matched by few other models."

Raser Technologies recently unveiled a new electric Hummer at the 2009 SAE International World Congress in Detroit, MI. While Hummers are typically known for being gas hogs and polluters, Raser has developed an electric engine that makes it more ecofriendly.

The Hummer H3 is powered by a plug in hybrid E-REV engine that generates a 268hp, a 40 mile all-electric range and fuel efficiency over 100mpg. Raser’s CEO Brent Cook said, “The technology in this electric-powered Hummer is a leap ahead for U.S. Automakers. It could make the nation’s popular light trucks and SUVs greener than a Prius.”

The plug-in electric Hummer H3 has a range of about 400 miles, driving its first 40 miles exclusively on batteries before turning on its combustion generator. The Electric Hummer runs entirely on electricity by Raser’s 200kW advanced AC induction motor connected to a 4WD transmission. A small high efficiency engine uses Raser’s 100kW electric generator to recharge the batteries while driving.

Trucks and SUV’s are the best selling vehicles in America and can benefit the most from increase fuel economy.

Source: EcoFriend

Imagine an electric supercar that is powered by the energy it generates from the sun. It may sound too good to be true, but believe it! The Quant is a zero-emission electric car that is fitted with a thin layer of solar panels that generate the electricity needed to power the cars two electric engines. Now, don’t get too excited because the car won’t be available for at least three years and unfortunately, it’s probably not going to be affordable to all. However, it does give us all a look down the road as to what we can expect from the automotive industry in the years to come.

Not only is this car equipped with some serious technology, but it’s a sharp looking supercar as well. The Quant is fitted with a 512 hp engine that allows it to reach 62mph in just over 5 seconds with a top speed of 171mph. The Quant is equipped with a battery pack that gets its juice from the sun. When the sun isn’t shining, the car can be recharged from a conventional wall outlet in just 20 minutes.

When the batteries are fully charged, they will power the car for over 300 miles. The built in solar cells will extend this with the help of the sun. The body of the car is a carbon fiber and carbon/aluminum construction with a complex regenerative breaking system. The total body weighs only 3924 pounds thanks to light weight materials used to build this one of a kind supercar.

The Quant was designed by Koenigsegg, a company based out of southern Sweden that is well known for their phenomenal sports cars and eco-friendly sports cars. Koenigsegg developed the technology for The Quant along with NLV Solar AG.

For starters, it uses the NanoSafe battery by Altaimano, a U.S. company. The battery can be recharged in only 10 minutes, and it won't lose its charging capacity for 12+ years or 15,000 miles. And the motors, the Hi-Pa Drive from FlightLink, are integrated into the car's wheels. That means no gearboxes, differential, axle, drive shafts or propshafts. All of the power is generated at the wheel, which is where you want it, which eliminates mechanical complexity and power losses experienced in standard sports cars. As the manufacturer noted, "these lightweight and ultra powerful motors don't add significant extra unsprung weight and are therefore ideal in that position."

If you'd like to park one of these emission-free roadsters in your garage, the company is accepting 15,000 pound deposits. Their website doesn't provide the total cost, but I'm guessing that if you have to ask, you can't afford it. The Lightning GT is not available in the U.S., but they're working on it. Just imagine watching a sports car go 0 to 60 . . . silently. Here are some more pics for your viewing pleasure.

Source: gizmag

Eco-gadgets don't have to be boring, and in the case of the Tesla Roadster, they don't have to be slow, either. Tesla claims its electric Roadster can zoom from 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds. And on top of that, it can go 220 miles on one charge of the batter. How do they achieve this, you ask? For starters, the motor is the size of a watermelon and weighs in at 115 pounds. At zero emissions, it's as energy-friendly as a car can be.

Price: I guess we should talk about the car payment that comes with this beauty. Tesla is accepting orders for their 2009 model (the 2008 model is sold out). A $5,000 down payment is required to reserve a car. The total price, without options, comes it at $98,950. If you'd like to reserve yours now, check out Tesla Motors.