In Europe where gas prices have been at $6 per gallon for years, people drive diesel cars. I mean, you see them everywhere. And there’s a reason. Diesel engines are clean and efficient. Plus, they save money for the drive. Americans are starting to figure that out now.

Diesel car sales have jumped 35% in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2012. I can’t help but think the primary reason for that is because gas prices have doubled in the last three years.

Many consumers are turning to hybrid and electric vehicles, but those technologies have not been around as long as diesel engine technology. They are yet unproven. And the price of the vehicles is still out of range for a lot of consumers. Diesel engines are more familiar to U.S. drivers and the technology has proven itself time and time again.

All of that spells one thing: Consumer confidence.

Many American vehicle manufacturers already have diesel engine vehicles on the road. Ford, for instance, has introduced the diesel-version of its Ford Fiesta for European drivers. I can only imagine that the vehicle will start selling in the U.S. as well.

As U.S. drivers become more educated on the environmental impact of driving diesel vehicles it is likely that sales will continue to climb. Driving diesel means going green.

How do you solve the energy crisis and the transportation problem in one whack? An inventor named Scott Brusaw has the answer: Solar roadways.

Solar roadways involve taking scraps from landfills and converting it, along with other materials, into an infrastructure of roadways that are in essence made of glass and operate as solar panels. He’s already built a prototype.

If successful, the solar roadway project has long range implications in a number of areas practical to society including:

• Reducing the garbage in the world’s landfills
• Providing for a more efficient energy service that is capable of providing light and electricity, cable TV, Internet, and other amenities to every home connected to the grid
• Elimination of our current telephone and electric wiring systems with all those ugly power lines
• Forced migration from petroleum-based engineering (such as asphalt roads) to a system that can pay for itself
• Provision for “hooking up” electric vehicles to be charged anywhere along the grid taking the nation off of fossil fuels completely and reducing the carbon footprint of every American
• A reversal of global warming

So how soon could we see our first solar roadway? According to Brusaw, it could be within two years.

How’s that for a complete overhaul?

What kind of vehicles do Generation Y auto buyers want? According to the LA Times, they want hybrid vehicles packed with technology.

Generation Y is the name given to people age 18 to 31. These younger consumers have a distinction that older automobile buyers don’t have. First, they are more environmentally conscious so they are concerned with how their driving habits affect the environment. They are more likely to be concerned with limiting their carbon footprint.

The second thing Gen Y auto buyers are concerned about is high technology. They want their automobiles to be as smart as their mobile phones.

While this presents a unique challenge to auto makers, it’s not a huge challenge. Recent technology makes both of these buying habits easier to market to.

Of course, one of the big innovators in both hybrid technology and smart in-dash technologies is the Ford Motor Co.

The Ford Fusion is a late model hybrid due to be rolled out later this year. Ford is hoping that Gen Y buyers will like it enough to take it for a test drive.

Some of the high tech in-dash toys Generation Y auto buyers like to play with include touch screens and smartphone apps. And Gen Y buyers also want to be able to buy upgrades for their auto technologies the same way they want to upgrade their smartphones.

If you fall into the Generation Y category and you are looking for a vehicle that meets your specifications, stay tuned. Auto makers are working fast to meet these demands.

Toyota automotive continues to support the green movement with a $20 million grant to the Audobon society.  This grant will be used to support the society, which is known for its nature centers and chapters and scientific, educational, and advocacy programs located throughout the country.  Beginning two years ago and lasting 5 years, the grant will this year allocate 1.08 million dollars for 43 projects located in 27 states.

After the first three years of the grant, Toyota has provided 3.5 million for the joint effort between Audobon and the automaker, known as TogetherGreen, and has sponsored over 130 projects.

According to David Yarnold of the Audobon society, “Each project represents an investment in our shared environment and future — and an opportunity for many of our nation’s most creative and dedicated individuals and communities to transform their dreams into effective conservation action…As our alliance with Toyota shows, when organizations work together, they can magnify conservation results.”

Toyota’s interest in the green movement began in 1998 with its release of the Prius hybrid, and they’ve remained active in the community by participating in projects such as the $20 million TogetherGreen project with the Audobon Society.  Many automakers are not only producing greener cars, but are investing in a greener world, a good sign that Toyota and other automakers are serious about creating cleaner-fuel vehicles.

The automotive industry isn’t the only one going hybrid, the boating industry is seeking to take advantage of all that sun on the water by introducing hybrid solar-gasoline yachts such as the Altair 70.  Utilizing a 5 KW photovoltaic system, the Altair 70, created by Pama Design, has two large wings designed using solar panels.  When moored the solar wings can be brought down, giving the yacht a more streamlined look.  When up, the solar wings provide sufficient shade and cover for the seating areas on either side of the boat, complete with tables and comfortable pillows.

This eco-friendly yacht demonstrates how hybrid energy and green vehicles are taking over the world, not just in the automotive industry but in all kinds of industries.  Although the solar/fuel combo is rarely seen in the automotive industry, as solar cars are still not up to par with electric or hydrogen vehicles, the Altair 70 demonstrates the worlds’ increased interest in saving the environment by using alternative sources of fuel.  The Altair 70 perhaps also represents the interest of all individuals, including the upper classes who can afford such a yacht, in alternative fuel vehicles.

Maybach recently released its Maybach DRS (Den-Riki-Sha), a vehicle designed with the future of automotive technology in mind.  Designed by Maybach’s team consisting of Yong Won Lee, Toru Nakano, Teck-Koun Kim, Masahide Yamada, Daniel Schlapp, Holger Hutzenlaub, Hiroshi Yajimar and Hideki Takahashi, the Maybach DRS offers a unique design unlike anything currently on the roads.

Inspired by modern architecture, infrastructure, and nature, the DRS delivers a light design and is pedal-powered, essentially acting as an electric-powered rickshaw, which was inspired by the human-powered rickshaws that appeared in Tokyo around 1870.

The world’s first Naturally Manufactured Vehicle (NMV), the DRS is created using organic intelligence and advanced bio-mechanical engineering, which work together to bring to life the vehicle’s ultra-lite composition.

Utilizing a self-balancing electric drive, the Maybach DRS is intended to be refueled at charging stations located throughout a city’s transport infrastructure.

In addition to electric, ultra-lite seems to be the way of the future, and many prototypes at the LA Auto show hit the scene with sub-1000 lb. vehicles.  The future also seems to lean toward smaller vehicles, with smaller engines and less, if any, trunk space.  Although the reality of prototypes such as the Maybach DRS may be years off, the vehicle may represent the future of automotive design.

The 2010 LA Auto Show gave birth to many unique automobiles, including a wide array of eco-friendly vehicles and concept cars weighing less than 1000 pounds.  Appearing in the challenge for best auto under 1000 pounds was the Volvo Air Motion, a lightweight vehicle utilizing green vehicle technology and weighing in at only 902 pounds, more than enough to qualify for the category.  Stripped down in order to lower the vehicle’s weight, the Volvo Air Motion is composed of carbon fiber, making it extremely expensive to make.

The Volvo Air Motion is another air-powered vehicle that drives using compressed air, an advantage where air conditioning is concerned, because the air automatically cools as the vehicle drives.  Compressed air, one of the numerous options for alternative fuel travel, utilizes built-in air tanks to power the vehicle, and could be replenished at air fueling stations.

One of its competitors, the Honda Air, weighs in at only 800 pounds and was inspired by roller coaster systems and wing suits.

Although it is a lesser-known alternative fuel, air power made a strong showing at the 2010 LA Auto show, perhaps signifying its entrance as a legitimate, feasible alternative fuel.  Some signs point to electric vehicles as the most likely alternative fuel vehicle, but air power is certainly an option that may gain momentum in the coming years.

The 2010 Los Angeles auto show introduced quite a few eco-friendly vehicles, including the Honda Air, Nissan V, Mercedes Benz Biome, and the Maybech DRS2 concept vehicles.  Running on a variety of fuels, these vehicles and the companies responsible for them hope to advance automotive technology.

Of the green concept vehicles shown at the show, the Honda Air was perhaps the most unique, because of its pneumatic fuel system that is capable of running entirely on air.  Weighing in at only 800 pounds and capable of traveling 100 miles on a single charge(?), the Honda Air was thought to be a contender for the 2011 Green Car of the Year Award, which ultimately went to the Chevy Volt.

Also making a strong showing was the Nissan Leaf, which, in addition to being eco-friendly, is also tech-friendly, incorporating the latest iPhone technology in the vehicle.  Unlike the Honda Air, this vehicle is in production.

According to Ron Cogan, editor of Green Car Journal, “In years past, the number of vehicles that could truly be considered worthy could be counted on two hands. That’s no longer the case. Today, there are many models designed and built to environmental standards we would not have thought possible many years ago.”

Nissan has developed a new fully electric vehicle with 0 emissions and is in line with their dream of a “sustainable zero-emissions society.”  The Nissan New Mobility Concept is optimum for individuals with short-distance commutes and who travel down traffic-congested roads.

A very small two person vehicle, the Nissan New Mobility Concept is best used in urban areas.  The vehicle will be able to travel 62 miles on a 15-kilowatt electric motor with a top speed of 47 mph.  Although Nissan is also focusing on the Leaf electric car, the New Mobility Concept shows the auto maker’s interest in diversifying the electric market.

Nissan has not provided much information regarding the new electric vehicle, which is similar to Renault’s Twizy and has the maneuverability of a motorcycle.   However, unlike the Leaf, this vehicle is not yet slated for production, and the auto maker has not yet released their full intentions for the vehicle.

In response to questions regarding the new Nissan Mobility Concept, the company stated it is part of their new “comprehensive approach to promote sustainable mobility.”

Nissan’s entrance into the fully-electric vehicle market with the Nissan Leaf and New Mobility Concept may signify a movement toward electric-powered vehicles in the automotive industry.

Following the trend towards more eco-friendly automobiles, exotic car makers such as Ferrari, Porsche, and Bentley have joined the fray, developing high-end green vehicles for environmentally-conscious, wealthy individuals.   While most of us will never see, let alone step foot in these vehicles, the automakers are dedicated to doing what they can to join the green movement.

This month, Ferrari launched a green version of its California coupe-convertible called HELE, which has a stop-start system that cuts the engine at stop lights, saving energy in the process and reducing (according to the automaker) carbon dioxide emissions in the city by as much as 23%.  The sticker price of the HELE is $251,000 dollars.

Bentley plans to release its Continental GT Coupe next year, which boasts a 40% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by reducing the standard 12 cylinder model to a V8 engine.  The auto maker also hopes to create vehicles compatible with ethanol by the year 2012.

Also joining the green movement, Porsche AG is developing the 918 Spyder, a plug-in hybrid vehicle capable of traveling 78 miles per gallon.  Carrying a whopping price tag of approximately $680,000, the Spyder isn’t cheap.

Of these vehicles, Christoph Stuermer, an analyst at IHS Automotive in Frankfurt, said, “These upper-end, high-performance cars have always been examples of the best car technology out here, and being green is now part of being technologically advanced. They have to come up with something so as not to be seen as technical dinosaurs.”

BMW AG joins the movement with a plug-in car due in 2013 or 2014 capable of going from 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and producing 62 mpg.

Damler AG Mercedes is also expected to develop some electric powered models of its SLS AMG, and Lotus, Audi, Lamborghini, and Jaguar are considering greener vehicles.

The addition of high-end autos to the green vehicles movement is a good sign of things to come.  Traditionally leading the way in automotive technology, these auto makers have the potential to further develop green vehicle technology that can be used in less-expensive models.

The new Audi A2, manufactured in Germany, has broken a record for the longest run in a production-ready electric vehicle without refueling.  Traveling from Munich to Berlin, the vehicle went 600 km (373 miles) without refueling.  That’s more than a 30 mpg vehicle with 12 gallons of gasoline can travel, making the Audi A2 competitive with modern gas-powered vehicles where refueling is concerned.

However, an experimental Japanese car has traveled farther, approximately 1000 km (621 miles) without a refuel, but this was not a production vehicle, and it was extremely expensive to create.

In a bold statement, the driver of the Audi A2, Mirko Hannemann, when exiting the new electric vehicle, said, “If any journalists want to charge up their iPhones, we still have some electricity left.”  In the recent past only capable of traveling approximately 70 km (43 miles) before refueling, this statement sums up the confidence electric automakers have in this new technology, which is now competing with gasoline-powered vehicles as far as distance traveled is concerned.

Once a pipe dream of green fanatics, electric vehicles and other hybrid vehicles seem to be well on their way to becoming a realistic mode of travel.

Premiering at the Los Angeles auto show this month, the Honda Air demonstrates new possibilities in alternative fuel.  Powered by a compressed air and pneumatic regulator system, the Air utilizes a lesser-known alternative fuel – air – to propel the vehicle.  The vehicle was inspired by roller coaster systems and wing suits and can travel an estimated 100 miles before requiring a refuel.

One of numerous eco-friendly vehicles at the Los Angeles auto show, and a top contender for the show’s green award on November 18^th, the Air weighs in at just 800 pounds and is designed for maximum open air experience.  The Air can be refueled easily at gas station air filling stations or at home using an air compressor.

Honda incorpotated numerous strategies in order to reduce the weight of the vehicle, including a hub-less wheel and drive system, vegetable-based polymer panels, glass reinforced seating panels, urethane tire composition, and skeletal sub-frame components.

Increased competition for the green award at the auto show from automakers such as Mercedes Benz and Maybech show the great interest in alternative fuels.  While more commonly-known alternative fuels such as electric and hydrogen seem to be leading the way, Honda’s air provides yet another option – air.  Only time will tell which fuel eventually becomes the standard for the future automotive industry.

A new project in the San Francisco bay area hopes to develop electric taxis and charging stations.  The project is breaking automotive news and is led by Better Place, an electric vehicle service provider.

According to Jason Wolf, VP of North America for Better Place, “Today marks a significant milestone in our march towards accelerating the mass adoption of electric cars in the Bay Area. This program will enable us to reach a broad audience and demonstrate a solution that offers drivers a more convenient option than today’s gasoline cars.”

Scheduled to take place over a three year period, the program hopes to see four battery switching stations placed between the San Francisco and San Jose corridor, offering green energy solutions to individuals in these communities.  Because charging an electric battery can take a long time, the stations allow electric vehicle users to switch out their existing battery with a new one.  The company has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Having already created a similar program in Tokyo that was very successful, Better Place hopes to create similar success in the US by leading the way in the electric vehicle revolution.  In six months, electric taxis in Tokyo have traveled over 25,000 miles.

According to Better Place, “Taxis are a high-mileage, high-visibility segment that can serve as the on-ramp for technology transfer to the mass-market.”

Announcing its partnership with Kor Ecologic, Stratasys is set to create one of the world’s most fuel efficient vehicles.  The Urbee is the first vehicle ever to use entire body 3D printing technology by additive manufacturing process.  This process prints layers of material, which are placed on top of each other until the finished product is created.

Capable of 200mpg on highway and 100 mpg in the city, using gasoline or ethanol, the Urbee is a low-emission vehicle that can be charged overnight using a home electrical outlet, with low cost to your electric bill.

According to Jim Kor, president and chief technology officer at Kor Ecologic, “FDM lets us eliminate tooling, machining, and handwork, and it brings incredible efficiency when a design change is needed.  If you can get to a pilot run without any tooling, you have advantages.”

This low profile (only 40 inches tall) two-passenger hybrid vehicle is also easy to repair, inexpensive to maintain, and safe.  According to the Urbee website, ‘the vehicle will last for decades and be good for the environment.’  Designed to be sustainable, the Urbee uses so little energy that it can be charged by solar cells or wind energy collected from above a one-car garage.

The company is hopeful that the vehicle will be affordable, and according to Popular Mechanics it will run between $18,000 and $21,000

In the business of building all terrain vehicles for over 40 years, Hanebrink has joined the eco movement and released its new electric bike.  The bike is part bicycle, part motorcycle, and part ATV and has a maximum speed of 40 mph on the road.

The new hybrid vehicle features 8-inch-wide tubeless tires that can navigate the toughest terrain.   With a 600 watt brushless electric motor and a 14-speed gearing system, the electric bike, which is designed using state-of-the-art technology, is capable of hauling up to 300 lbs.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The specs include:

• Motor: Aotema 600 Watt Brushless Electric Motor
• Controller: Controls speed between throttle and motor
• Battery: Lithium Ion Phosphate 36 volt, 10 amp hour
• Drive: Dual Range 14-speed gearing
• Brakes: Avid Elixir Hydraulic disc brakes
• Handle Bars: Truvativ Carbon Fiber with 1.5 inch rise
• Frame: 6061- T6 Aircraft Seamless Aluminum Tubing
• Forks: Hanebrink Dual Crown Triple Clamp 10″ adjustable travel
• Rear Rack: 8″ x 21″ aluminum
• Shifter: SRAM MRX
• Deraileur: Shimano
• Seatpost: Carbon Fiber
• Weight: 71 lbs total with one battery pack
• Wheels/Hubs: Hanebrink handcrafted aluminum
• Tires: 20″ x 8″ tubeless
• Price: $7650 at Electric Cyclery – $280 shipping in continental USA

The bike is handcrafted at Hanebrink’s Big Bear, California facility and is designed for all terrains and seasons.  Although best new for their mountain biking innovations, Hanebrink now joins the environmentally-friendly vehicle market, and does so with one badass bike.

With growing gas prices and the worst economic crisis in 60 years, many are wondering what the solution to transportation issues in the U.S. may be.  Increased traffic congestion is a glaring sign that something needs to be done, and many feel that high-speed rail systems may be the solution.  Economically friendly high-speed rail systems could bring a second boon in the transportation industry in the United States, which first experienced increased growth in 1940, when the first freeway was built in the LA area.

Considered one of the factors that sent the economy over the edge, gas and dependence on foreign oil is a major topic among economists these days, and the U.S. is scrambling to create alternative fuel sources and vehicles, including hydrogen-powered vehicles and electric vehicles, which seem to be the next step after hybrid vehicles and are possibly the most likely source of travel in the automotive industry.

Robert Cruickshank and Danial Krause of Californians for High Speed Rail feel that the high-speed rail will do for Californians what the interstate did in the 1940s, stimulate growth in transportation.  Not only will high-speed rails revolutionize transportation, they will promote economic growth in construction in the areas where they are developed.  The high-speed rail systems have better cost-benefits than automobiles and, according to many, are a solution to our transportation issues.

Intelligent Energy, a company that focuses on creating environmentally friendly energy solutions, has produced a new hydrogen-powered motorcycle.  Lightweight, stylish and eco-friendly, the motorcycle, named the ENV, utilizes hydrogen fuel cells and releases only water and air into the atmosphere.

Intelligent Design, a British company, releases its new fuel cell motorcycle before any major automobile producer.  The stylish design of the vehicle is attributed to Seymourpowell.  The vehicle functions like any other motorcycle on the market, and the hydrogen fuel cell is completely removable and replaceable.

Nick Talbot of Seymourpowerll noted, ‘It has good ground clearance, great off-road suspension travel and a very carefully considered power to weight ratio.  I have ridden motorcycles for years, and, in the process of designing the bike, I have become a convert to fuel cell technology.  The bike is usable, useful and great-looking.  It was important on this project to demonstrate that new technologies don’t have to be wrapped up in a dull product – engaging public imagination and enthusiasm is key.’

Here are the bike’s performance stats:

• Acceleration 0 – 20 mph in 4.3s (32kph)
• 0 – 30 mph in 7.3s (48 kph)
• 0 – 50 mph in 12.1s (80kph)
• Top speed 50 mph (80kph)
• (note: ENV has been tested to 50mph – however, with further refinements and redevelopments, this top speed is expected to be exceeded)
• Range At least 100 miles (160km)
• Physical
  Bike mass 80 kg (Total mass including CORE)

However, the United States is not a likely location for this motorcycle, because hydrogen is not yet a viable environmental vehicle source, and the U.S. is mostly focused on creating electric eco-friendly vehicles.

In an effort to support greener energy, Best Buy has agreed to allow electric vehicle charging stations at twelve of its Arizona, California, and Washington stores by March 2011.  Announced by ECOtality, a charging infrastructure developer, the Blink charging stations, referred to by Blink CEO Jonathan Read as  the “Swiss army knife of telecommunication,” will also have access to local networks, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and cell phone networks.

The announcement helps put into effect ECOtality’s vision of placing Blink stations at large retail stores throughout the country, providing a first point of contact for electric car drivers.

Having already installed 6,000 charge stations for vehicles such as forklifts and ground-support vehicles at airports, this new development demonstrates a push to reach consumers directly.  With $230 million dollars in investment funds in the company, both from the Department of Energy and private investors, ECOtality is poised for the next step.

Analyst John Gartner of Pike Research estimates that the electric vehicle charging industry will generate nearly 300 million dollars by the year 2015 in addition to revenue already accumulated by the automotive industry.

Best Buy, which began selling electric scooters and motorcycles last year, plans to have stations installed in Tucson, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle.

While the value you vehicle charging stations is not yet known to large retailers, the agreement between Best Buy and ECOtality shows increasing interest by retailers in alternative fuel and vehicles and perhaps the start of a new, greener trend.

A recent survey conducted by Mercedes found that Americans are not confident when it comes to Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV).  The findings of the survey, conducted in July 2010, indicated that many Americans are holding off on purchasing new AFV vehicles because they are uncertain of which kind to purchase.

Surprisingly, more Americans claimed to have an understanding of the financial crisis than an understanding of AFVs, such as hybrids, diesels, and electrics.  According to the survey, 48% of adults are interested in purchasing an AFV but do not know what type to get, and 35% of Americans claim to know which vehicles are best for certain driving situations, such as city and highway driving.  71% of Americans are uncertain about their knowledge of alternative fuel.

According to Sascha Simon, head of advanced product planning at Mercedes-Benz USA, “The end game is zero-emissions driving that doesn’t simply transfer the problem.  And, while that is still in the future, each alternative fuel vehicle we introduce is a step in that direction, providing key findings and helping acclimate consumers to new technology.  Our goal at Mercedes-Benz is to provide a portfolio of options for our customers so they can choose the vehicle that best suits their lifestyle and to further the understanding and, ultimately, the adoption rate for these new technologies.”

Ford Motor Company announced at the Paris Auto Show that the company is launching an initiative for the roll out of its next-generation 2011 Focus. The initiative targets digital influencers and the use of Facebook to launch the new Focus by creating a contest that ultimately puts up to $500,000 into various charities of its customers’ choice. Winners will be among the first in the world to drive the all-new Focus ahead of its arrival in European and North American dealerships in early 2011 – and raise money for their favorite charities in the process.

Basically, about 100 participants will be invited to travel to Europe to spend two days with the new Focus and share their experiences. And participants selected through the Facebook application process will receive the local-market equivalent of $10,000 for a charitable cause, with up to $500,000 in contributions handed out throughout the world.

Those applying will be asked to submit a video clip to the Focus Facebook page explaining why they should be selected to participate in the event and how they might “Start Something More” with a charitable cause in their community with a donation from Ford.

“The Global Test Drive gives us an opportunity to reach out to consumers around the world and involve them in the launch of our new Focus while giving to their local charity,” said Jim Farley, Group Vice President, Global Marketing, Sales and Service. “We’ve learned through our previous social media initiatives that turning the brand over to consumers early on helps build awareness and interest in the product.”

Applicants will be asked to submit a video clip to the Focus Facebook page explaining why they should be selected to participate in the event and how they might “Start Something More” with a charitable cause in their community with a donation from Ford.

Click here to visit the Ford Focus Facebook page for more details.

Please share this story with your friends on Facebook and Twitter to help spread the word for Ford. This is a terrific cause that is expected to generate a lot of positive buzz out there. Thank you.

Honk if you’re social.

I can’t think of any activity less social than driving – except maybe sleeping. I mean, you sit behind a wheel and other drivers sit behind their wheels in different cars. You can’t communicate unless you do so by hand signals and blinking lights. Unless you know their cell phone numbers.

And unless you have passengers in the car with you, you’re all alone. So much for being social.

But social media automobile website Honk has figured out a way to make car buying more social. The website recently underwent a maintenance check and enhanced some of its features.

(Source) The site’s new Dashboard now is meant to give potential buyers a central location to manage their entire vehicle-shopping process from discovery to purchase. As users identify their needs and track opinions on their Dashboard, Honk’s recommendation engine can sift through more than 300 vehicles and offer suggestions. These recommendations are based on personal lifestyle, tastes and needs plus reviews from like-minded users.

When you go to buy a car, don’t you ask your friends for recommendations, check auto reviews and test drive a few models to see what you like? That’s what Honk is designed to help you do more efficiently.

If making a decision on what to drive has you torqued and low on tread then maybe it’s time to make the decision-making process more social. Drive by Honk for a peak under the hood. And if you’re like me, you’ll wonder why they call their discussion features “streams” instead of “access lanes.”

Speaking of social, why not meet us on Facebook where we share the better topics from this blog about advertising, energy, technology, and more?

Tesla Motors has become a respectable name in eco-friendly vehicles, particularly the all-electric variety. Toyota not so much. Which makes this deal a rather unique one, and a rewarding one for both parties.

Toyota has had a respectable brand name since coming to U.S. shores in 1957. Its reputation really preceded it. By the mid-1960s, Toyota had entrenched its reputation as a great car manufacturer in the United States. While Toyota doesn’t exactly have the sales to prove its commitment to eco-friendly driving, it is recognized as the manufacturer of the most fuel efficient gasoline vehicle on the road – the Prius. But that’s just one vehicle.

Toyota’s success with the Prius coupled with its financial power and Tesla Motors’ commitment to alternative energy in automotive manufacturing make their partnership a very powerful one. The two companies made their finalization announcement last week.

The vehicle the two companies will partner on as a first effort is an electric version of the Toyota RAV4. The RAV4 is a Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive, a compact SUV that really set the market for compact SUVs. Toyota is known for its innovations and that’s why partnering with Tesla Motors to make the RAV4 an all-electric vehicle makes sense.

The RAV4 is expected to hit the streets in 2012. It will feature a Tesla electric drivetrain inside the RAV4 body and integrated with other key components of Toyota manufacturing. The only question that seems to be unanswered regarding the all-electric RAV4 and Toyota’s marriage to Tesla Motors is “Is the market ready for it?” I’m banking that, by 2012, it will be.

Learn more about the 2010 Toyota Prius. Get the latest information on the Tesla Roadster by Tesla Motors.

Hybrid vehicles have been all the rage for some years now. OK, maybe not “all the rage”. But you can’t argue that there has been a (limited) market for them. A market nonetheless. Here’s the question: Will electric cars surpass the enthusiasm for hybrids?

To be true, that won’t be difficult. Hybrids have not really caught on with the mass market. But Tesla is banking on sports car enthusiasts to get excited about all-electric vehicles. Hence, the new website.

OK, so what’s so exciting about a website? For that matter, what’s so exciting about a sports car?

Good questions. Both of them. The Tesla Roadster looks like a sports car. There’s no doubt about it. And from what I’ve seen of the reviews, it drives like one too. But there’s just one niggling problem. You have to plug it in. That’s what you do with electric cars.

The Tesla website covers in pretty good detail the benefits of electric-powered vehicles, including what you need to keep your Roadster charged.

The Tesla Roadster isn’t the only all-electric vehicle on the market, but it is gaining some momentum from the initial excitement in the marketplace. Now, can the all-electric car movement gain the same momentum and become as mainstream as, say, Ford or Chevy?

From natural gas to hybrid cars to all-electric vehicles, or EVs, U.S. automakers have tried every way possible to create a vehicle that runs on alternative energy. Now may be the best time in history to actually get these vehicles up and running. Or get the drivers up and running – to the local ell-electric dealer.

There are, in fact, more automakers (and not all are U.S.-based) willing to offer vehicles powered by alternative energy than ever before, and it seems that the energy that they may settle on is all-electric. Or is this just false hope?

Here’s a list of some of the manufacturers who have rolled out all-electric vehicles in just the past couple of years:

• General Motors – The 2011 Chevy Volt comes with an 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty.
• Liberty – The manufacturer got its start in 2007, but introduced the all-electric Range Rover SUV in 2010. However, they’ve improved on it in 2011.
• Mitsubishi - The i-MiEV isn’t the most attractive vehicle on the road, but it is one of the less expensive all-electric vehicle options.
• Tesla – You just have to see the Tesla Roadster. You’d be surprised it’s all electric.
• Toyota – Toyota has not done well selling its hybrids so it has partnered up with Tesla to produce all-electric vehicles. None have hit the market yet, but the company plans to introduce all-electric vehicles outside its Tesla partnership in 2012.
• Nissan – Nissan got in on the all-electric market early with the LEAF.
• Smart – You know those funny-looking European cars? They now have a scooter equivalent that will be powered by all-electric energy.
• Citroen – The French automaker has its own sports car powered electrically.
• Luxgen – Even Taiwan automaker Luxgen is going electric with the Luxgen 7 all-electric MPV.
• Volkswagen - Look for it in 2013.
• Th!nk – A Norwegian company with an American division. Think Ox will hit the streets soon.
• Electric City Motors - Manufactures the all-electric vehicle the Current.
• Chrysler – Chrysler created an entire division for all-electric production: ENVI.

With so many traditional automakers introducing all-electric vehicles, you’d think this was a big market to tap. The current political and social landscape in the U.S. makes me think it is. Al Gore preached about the evils of the internal combustion engine and he was laughed off the planet, but now it seems that all the auto manufacturers that are worth a darn are singing his praises. Maybe not literally, but figuratively in the act of rolling out their all-electric creations.

General Electric has manufactured a charger for the vehicles. Nissan and Chevrolet are fighting over a passing gear. And Nissan offers further encouragement by offering to plant a tree on your behalf.

Clearly fuel and energy alternatives are here and making their footprint. Like the days of Cable vs. DSL, the alternatives are battling things out for a shot at mainstream.

American drivers may not be quite ready to commit to alternative energy automobiles such as 100% electric and hybrids.

(Source) When it comes to improving fuel economy, consumers are more likely to be interested in technologies that help the gas-powered engines become more fuel-efficient — which typically costs less initially — than they are in alternative-fuel engines, which are typically more expensive, according to Harris Interactive.

Consumers are practical on one level, fickle on another. Concerns over ongoing maintenance of newer vehicles with disparate technologies make sense as does the concern that alternative fueling points are not widely available. To some extent, concern over retail price of new vehicles carrying alternative fuel technology is somewhat practical, but it lacks the foresight of measuring ongoing fuel costs against each other.

It seems that hybrid vehicles should be more popular than 100% electric, but that’s not so.

Further down the spectrum of consumer interest are the fuel-efficient engines that are “newer, more costly, and/or fully developed,” like fuel-cell engines, hybrid-electric engines and plug-in engines.

This is where the fickle part comes in. Hybrid vehicles are at least partly fueled by gasoline so some of the concerns that consumers have are not as big a problem with hybrids as with 100% electric vehicles.

I agree with David Pulaski.

“To raise mass market appeal automakers and government agencies must educate consumers on the benefits they offer, while reducing infrastructure issues,” he added. “Education must not only address what is being done, but connect with the emotional elements of the concerns.

Unless consumers are educated on the benefits of alternative fuel technology and its benefits, we will never get past gasoline fueled drives, the status quo and fear of change. But it is not just government’s and automakers’ responsibility to provide that education. Mass media and public schools also need to provide that education so that future generations of drivers are more aware of the eco-realities of driving gasoline-powered vehicles.