Its 2010 Already! Green Cars We’re Waiting For…

To kick-off 2010 with a bang we put together a list of upcoming green cars that rev our engines (or motors). This new breed of cars includes everything from the much hyped electrics to seldom mentioned propane vehicles. These new cars are taking green and tech to new levels; and here at DriveAlternatives we are working hard to support their launch-

2011 Aptera
Google invested in a car company? Well yes, the philanthropic arm. The Aptera is a 3-wheeled car designed to reduce drag at all costs; which is why it looks like an Aptera’s parents might have been a Cessna 350 and a Boeing 737. Kidding aside this car kicks out serious mileage, with the hybrid version getting over 300 MPG’s. Latest word is they’ve been having some management troubles…let’s hope they stay on track and get an all electric version launched this year.

 

http://www.aptera.com/

2011 Chevrolet Volt
Grabbing headlines last year with an expected 230 MPG rating the Chevy Volt will be hitting the roads late 2010. This extended range electric car is capable of driving 40 miles on pure electricity before an E85 capable generator kicks on to power you down the road. This feature is appealing to many, making the Volt the most versatile of upcoming electric cars. Chevy has done a great job foreshadowing new tech features of the Volt as well. Head to the iTunes app store and download the OnStar app…it surely will leave you drooling.

 

http://www.chevrolet.com/pages/open/default/future/volt.do

2011 Chevrolet Cruze
Hitting the subcompact market by storm is the 2011 E85 capable Chevy Cruze. The Cruze is propelled by a 1.4-liter turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine that should reach near 40mpg.  On paper this Cruze looks positioned to take away some market share from the Civic and Corolla. Keep your eye on the Cruze…

 

http://www.chevrolet.com/future-vehicles/cruze/

2011 Ford Focus EV
Yes, Al Gore was run over twice by Rush Limbaugh with a Ford Focus EV… Well it was only a cardboard cutout, but it jostled a few feathers after airing on Jay Leno’s show last fall. Politics aside, the Focus EV is another promising electric car. Take the sporty look of the new Focus and add in a 142 horsepower electric motor with an 80 mile range…sounds good, but could make this one a homerun is confirmation Ford SYNC 2.0 will be in the car.

 

http://www.ford.com/our-values/environment

2010 Ford Fusion
The redesigned and newly E85 capable Ford Fusion walked away with Motor Trend’s Car of the Year award. John McCain recently tweeted he's getting a Ford Fusion Hybrid… Need we say more?

 

http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/fusion/

2010 Ford E-250
Ford and ROUSH have a history of partnering to produce the only factory propane powered vehicles in the US market. Recently they’ve announced the line of propane vehicles will expand to more than Ford trucks and now include Ford vans. A Ford van doesn’t scream trendy (unless West Coast Customs got their hands on it) but it is a great option to go green with as a utility vehicle.

 

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/eseries/

2011 Honda CR-Z
Tired of looking like a tree hugger in your hybrid?  Honda is the first to bridge the gap between hybrids and sport coupes with the CR-Z.  Available fall 2010, this is the first six-speed manual hybrid to go on sale in the US.

 

http://cr-z.honda.com/

2010 Mahindra TR20 & TR40
We’ve blogged about this before, but Mahindra’s trucks landing on US shores are only a few months away. These trucks put up amazing numbers: 5,000lb towing capacity, 2,700lb payload capacity and all while getting 30mpg.  All for the low $20k’s…this could be a real seller.

 

http://www.mahindrana.com/

2011 Nissan Leaf
This five door five passenger fully electric car is aimed at millennials. The Leaf has a 100 mile range and an expected price at about $25,000. Keep your twitter feed on…Nissan is updated interested buyers via social media.

 

http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car

And of course there are many more, we’ll updating you on those soon…

 

• mahindra
• Aptera
• Cruze
• Fusion
• E-250
• Honda
• CR-Z
• TR20
• TR40
• Chevy Volt
• Nissan Leaf
• Ford Focus EV