All About Japan Autos

Hybrids Electrics Hydrogen Cars

CBS News reports, “The price of oil is up, gas guzzling cars are out, and a race for a fuel-free, practical electric car is on. It includes the usual suspects: Detroit, Japan, and Germany. But as correspondent Lesley Stahl reports, a surprising newcomer with no experience at building cars has entered the race: Silicon Valley..

California is home to such electric car startups as Tesla, maker of the all-electric Tesla Roadster, which “can accelerate from zero to 60 in four seconds. It is propelled by over 6,000 finger-sized lap top batteries, and not a single drop of oil.” The Roadster is already available for buyers who can afford its $109,000 price tag.

Other electric cars developed outside Detroit include the Fisker Karma, a high-performance four-door that may come to market in 2010, and, “the all-electric, three-well Aptera, due out this Christmas.”

Detroit’s entrants in the race, meanwhile, include the 2010 Chevy Volt and three new vehicles from Chrysler.

A number of electric cars were on display at the Paris Motor Show last week. “Some of the models on show are still prototypes — such as Renault SA’s Z.E. Concept — while others such as Daimler AG’s all-electric Smart ED, have entered the test phase,” according to the AP.

A number of automakers are skeptical of the trend. BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer told Bloomberg recently, “There’s too much hype about the electric car,” predicting that electric vehicles might make up 5 to 10 percent of sales by 2020, “but not more.”

But he’s hedging his bets. BMW’s MINI division is currently building 500 electric MINI Coopers, due for lease in California in 2009.

Research the latest in green cars with U.S. News’ car rankings and reviews.