High-performance vehicles are always fun to drive. They’re fast, powerful, and they’re simply full of feature. Ever since I started driving, I’ve been in love with muscle cars. Their design, power, and speed are things that every driver would want to have for their rides. Unfortunately, muscle cars fail when it comes to one department and that’s fuel efficiency. In fact most models chug fuel at such a high rate that their popularity drastically declined at the start of the 1970s. Then again, it seems like that Dodge wants to change muscle cars by offering their new concept car called the Dodge ZEO.

Basically, the Dodge ZEO’s name stands for Zero Emissions Operation. As its name implies, it really doesn’t emit anything, because it’s a muscle car and electric car rolled into one. Basically, the Dodge ZEO is an electric car that performs like your good, old muscle car. Powered by a 200 kilowatt electric motor, it’s strong enough to power the vehicle from 0-60 mph in less than 6 seconds. Aside from that, its motor is built to provide it by as much as 268 horsepower as well. Compared to other electric cars that simply lack in power, the Dodge ZEO has a 64 kilowatt-hour lithium battery pack that can give it a 250-mile driving range. All you need to do to keep it in working in optimum condition is to keep it charged fully.

When I first saw the Dodge ZEO, I could not help but marvel at how the guys from Dodge can give it so much power and speed without even relying on gasoline. In short, the vehicle is just one fantastic vehicle that everyone should take a look at. When it comes to exteriors, the Dodge ZEO boasts of a 23-inch steel alloy wheels that are indestructible by rust and corrosion. Its windshield meanwhile, arches up from the long and well-designed hood. In short, you would like every thing about the design of this eco-friendly muscle car from Dodge.

The door of the Dodge ZEO is built to look like scissors. Because of that, there is unlimited access to the interior. Meanwhile, it will take quite a while before the Dodge ZEO will be launched by Dodge. Nevertheless, I really think that this vehicle will change how muscle cars should be in the future.

Let’s face it. Most of us aren’t willing to do away with our rides completely and to trade them in for electric cars. While ideally, we would all be able to purchase our green car of choice, there are other factors at play, which could delay this type of big purchase. If you have a fuel-efficient vehicle that’s not being run by biofuels or electricity, then there’s still a way for you to reduce your carbon footprint, without having to trade in your fuel-run car completely.

Aside from walking more, or riding a bike to work, another thing you can do is to get a green car insurance for your vehicle.

The ordinary, non-green car is capable of producing up to 3.5 tons of Carbon Dioxide per year. Now, multiply that by millions upon millions of times and you get a rough estimate of how much pollution vehicle drivers pump into the atmosphere. Air pollution is what ruins the environment, causing rapid and extreme climate change and global warming.

So how can you help minimize your contributions to air pollution with a Green Car Insurance policy? Well, you drive your fuel-efficient car while being absolutely carbon neutral. Meaning, the carbon dioxide produced by your car is taken away from somewhere else.

What a green car insurance policy gives you is an offer of up to a hundred percent offset of your carbon emissions. These types of policies even offer discounts to fuel-efficient or eco-friendly vehicles and drivers who keep their mileage to a minimum.

By offsetting your carbon emissions, the policy means that a huge chunk of the money you spend on your premium is used to buy Carbon Credits used in renewable energy projects. Solar farms, wind farms, and hydroelectric stations benefit from your insurance policy, allowing them to conduct further research on their fields while minimizing their carbon footprints. So indirectly, you’re helping lessen the use of fossil fuels.

So while it’s ideal to purchase a new green car, if you can’t buy one now, might as well become an eco-warrior by getting a green car insurance policy instead. Negate your carbon dioxide emissions by getting green car insurance as soon as you can.

There are a lot of companies today, which are solely dedicated in providing vehicle owners with this type of policy. Check out local companies in your area and ask for brochures before getting your green car insurance. Go for a legit green car insurance company to ensure that you’re truly offsetting your car’s noxious emissions.

I have been a fan of automobiles ever since I can remember. In fact, I was able to identify car models even before I was able to write my name. Then again, you don’t see automakers that specifically cater to the specially-abled members of the society. In short, you don’t see vehicles that are tailor-made for people using wheelchairs. Now considering that these guys need special attention when it comes to everything, I’m tipping my hat to an automaker such as Kenguru UK. Why? That’s because the company has created a vehicle for the handicapped called the B-4220.

Classified as an invalid car, cars such as the B-4220 make things easier for people on wheelchairs. In fact, it has become so popular in Eastern Europe for years already. Today, you can get yourself a B-4220 for only 12,500 dollars. Unlike most cars, this invalid car doesn’t have a seat because the wheelchair will do the job. There is very little legroom inside, although its design will allow the drive to roll into driving position by merely using a ramp that lowers automatically. After that, the wheelchair will be locked into position, to prevent it from wobbling once the B-4220 starts moving.

Once you insert the ignition key inside the ignition switch, the rear panel immediately closes down. After that, the driver can already start driving and its functions are just like any other vehicle out there. The downside to this car however is its size and its very limited space. In fact, there’s only room for just one person. In spite of that, it is still capable of generating as much as 25 mph on the freeway. On the other hand, the B-4220 is powered by a 4KW electric motor and four lead-acid batteries. Since it’s an electric vehicle, you need to charge its batteries to make sure you can last the distance. The B-4220 may be far from having the performance of a sports car, but it sure is up for the task it was made for: providing comfort and safety to handicapped drivers. At 12,500 dollars, the B-4220 gives handicapped people the comfort that they need despite their physical limitations.

The Ronaele company recently launched a musclecar that runs in electricity and it’s called the Mustang 300E. It doesn’t only scorch roads because of its performance, but it also saves so much fuel at the same time. Using lithium-ion battery packs, it can actually generate as much as 300 horsepower. Aside from that, it can also accelerate from 0-60 mph in just under 4 seconds. Compared to other battery-powered vehicles, its top speed is pegged at 130 miles.

The Lincoln "C" Concept

It must have been quite the surprise to auto enthusiasts when Lincoln presented the Lincoln C Concept car. While most people are hesitant to make the shift from their gas-guzzling rides to the smaller and greener vehicles on the market, it should come as a comfort to luxury-loving folks that they won’t have to give up the comfort provided by their luxury rides–not once the Lincoln “C” Concept hits the market.

What’s so lovable about the concept car called the “C” Concept is that it helps make green cars look cooler. Sure, for green car lovers like us (hopefully you included), green cars are the cat’s pajamas, but some people tend to see green cars as slower and less-powerful (and by default, less cool) cars compared to large vehicles that guzzle down gas like there’s no tomorrow.

But then, here comes the “C” Concept to shatter these types of pre-conceived notions. What’s so surprising about the unveiling of the “C” Concept is how the automaker Lincoln has always been associated with creating large and bulky vehicles that look and feel nothing like what people expect a green car to. Sure, Lincoln had to make their concept green car more compact, but the car looks amazing! Kinda like what you would expect a high-performance and powerful sedan would look like.

"C" Savvy Interior

Of course, Lincoln seemed to have gotten its inspiration from the typical box car design, but the brand has noticeably made the car curvier. Smoother. Sleeker. In an article from Ezinearticles.com written by Matthew B. Bailey, the writer describes the Lincoln concept to look like a cross between a Lincoln Navigator, a Chrysler PT Cruiser, and a VW New Beetle. And based solely on the looks of the car, I think I’d have to agree with Mr. Bailey on that one.

As for the interior, well, let’s just say the seats are so comfortable, it makes you want to just lie back and have a few minutes of snooze time. But what really gets me going is the car’s instrument panel, that’s panoramic, mind you. It’s so futuristic, it even has an avatar (customizable, of course) that welcomes you back and tells you if you’ve got new text messages or emails.

Also, according to “The Green Luxury Car - The Lincoln C Concept” by Mr. Bailey, the car also has fingertip controls that allow you to operate GPS Navigation, MP3 Players, and a Satellite Radio. It’s every environment-friendly technophile’s dream car.

But the best part about this concept is not its good looks or technophile-friendly accessories, it’s what drives the car that makes it so irresistible.

The Lincoln "C" Concept's Futuristic Look

AutomobileMag.com included the Lincoln C Concept Car in their Detroit 2009: Five Most Significant Green Cars due to the concept’s incredible, direct-injection, EcoBoost engine. This type of engine comes with a dual-clutch transmission, stop/start technology, and a “focus on weight-savings.”

Created based on the same ideas used on the European Focus, the pint-size “C” is a truly awesome ride that retains the typical Lincoln style we see from the brand’s luxury line.

If there’s one green car that could appeal to the cool kids (regardless of age), this one has got to be it. Here’s to hoping we’ll be seeing more of the “C” sometime soon.

Brusa Elektronik is really on a roll these days. Last time out, I posted about its new electric car called the Brusa Spyder. Sure, I was really impressed with that car could offer on the table. Little do I know that the company still had something more to offer other than the Brusa Spyder. Actually Brusa Elektronik still had one more trick up its sleeve and it’s the supremely-looking and opulent Protoscar LAMPO Electric.

At first, there’s no way to tell that this car is electric powered until someone told me that it is.Just like the Brusa Spyder, it’s also an electric car that is styled like a roadster. Unlike some small and compact electric vehicles though, this one boasts of serious power. In fact, it can produce as much as 268 horsepower using only its lithium-ion batteries. What’s even more impressive is that it’s a four-wheel drive car and each set of wheels can muster 134 horsepower instantly. It also has serious torque because last time I checked, it’s capable of generating 324.5 lb.-ft. of torque.

So what powers the Protoscar LAMPO Electric? Basically, there’s a lightweight lithium-ion battery that can provide it by as much as 200 kilometers in range. Just like most electric-powered vehicles, it can be charged using any public or home charging public outlet.

When I checked out the instrument panel of the Protoscar LAMPO Electric, what caught my attention was how it displays the amount of power is uses in real time. Seriously now, I can’t recall any kind of electric vehicle that had that kind of feature. Basically, it shows positive when you’re accelerating, while showing negative when you start to decelerate. Aside from that, there’s also a touch screen module that shows the current battery charge and the current driving conditions. I also found the GPS tool is very useful because it allows you to plan your routes. That means you become an efficient driver and you save your battery power as well.

Meanwhile, getting inside the Protoscar LAMPO Electric is a totally different experience as well. That’s because you can set the parameters of the on-board battery charger. Aside from that, the interior is stylish as well. There’s also ample legroom so you can put in some extra cargo when you’re planning for a longer trip.

Despite the design, looks, and energy efficiency of the Protoscar LAMPO Electric, it’s one car that is all about zero emission. It’s one efficient running machine that is fun to drive in city-driving conditions. Meanwhile, the Protoscar LAMPO Electric is not yet on sale but it will certainly change how we see electric cars in the near future.

Switzerland. The land of the Alps, great people, and home of topnotch European travel destinations. It’s no secret that Switzerland is one of the most picturesque countries in Europe. However, the country has more to offer and one of them is top-of-the-line automotive engineering. Just like its neighbor Germany, Switzerland is a force to reckon with in this field. If you ask me, I have been there several times in the past and I wouldn’t mind staying there for as long as I can. Aside from what I jut mentioned, Switzerland is also home to Brusa Elektronik AG.

Sure, the company isn’t even Honda but just recently when I had the opportunity to visit a car exhibit in Norway, it just unveiled its latest car model called the Brusa Spyder. Basically, it’s the Swiss answer to the Tesla roadster. Why did I say that? It’s because it’s an electric sports car that has several astounding features just like the Tesla Roadster. Although it doesn’t roar like a Bugatti or a Lamborghini, it performs very much like the legendary Porsche 550 Spyder.

Powered by a Hybrid-Synchron electric motor that can generate as much as 134 horsepower, it’s more than enough for your city-driving needs. Aside from that, this two-seater, 2000-pound car can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just under five seconds. Of course, that kind of performance is far from being the best. However, the Brusa Spyder is an electric car and it should merit respect just by achieving that. The speed of the Brusa Spyder is no joke either and that’s because it can go as fast as 124 mph when you want to.

Of course, having the Brusa Spyder is driving a sports car without worrying about emissions. Aside from that, there’s no need to worry about gas bills because all you need is a reliable outlet where you’ll plug it for charging.

Just like all electric cars, the Brusa Spyder relies on heavy-duty batteries made of lithium-polymer. Truth is, it’s strong enough to last for 77 miles without needing to stop. When it comes to fully charging it, all you need is just a little under four hours.

Overall, I can say that the Brusa Spyder is a solid choice if you want speed and power without using oil. Although it lacks a bit in space and legroom, it’s still one heck of an electric car nonetheless.

Let’s face it. The conscious decision of trading a fuel-powered, high-performance vehicle for a less-powerful but greener alternative is not exactly the easiest thing to do. For starters, in most parts of the world, biofuel can be pretty hard to come by. As for electric vehicles, well, keeping your car fully-charged for hours of travel can be near impossible. But going “Green” does have its benefits.

Let’s not get started on the “save the world for the children” campaign. It’s something we’re all familiar with, and it’s something that we all understand perfectly. Instead, let’s focus on the benefits that will affect YOUR life.

(1) Green Cars Save Lungs (and Lives)

Since you won’t be emitting as much carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide with your green ride, then you can expect less pollution to damage your health. While you won’t inhale enough pollutants to develop a respiratory or cardiopulmonary sickness in one day, everyday exposure to these pollutants can and will damage your lungs in the long run. By going for a green car, you minimize the pollutants released in the environment, thereby cutting everyday air pollution by the tiniest bit. If you persuade others to join you and to get green cars for themselves, you make a bigger change in helping make the environment safer for you, if not your children, or your children’s children.

(2) Lower C02-Related Taxes

In some parts of the globe (like London, we’re told), the road tax you pay the government increases or decreases based the amount of C02 your ride releases and the type of fuel your vehicle uses. Naturally, fewer emissions can help lower your road tax. Now, an article from EzineArticles.com, entitled: “The Benefits of Having a Green Car”, also mentions that you won’t have to pay any taxes if your gas emissions are way below 100g/km. Now if this rule applies to your area, then this can mean pretty sweet savings in the long run.

If you drive an electric car, then you also won’t have to pay a single dime for fuel tax. After all, your car doesn’t run on fuel, it runs on power. Fuel tax for natural gases are also a lot lower than what you’d have to pay if you were driving using diesel or petrol.

(3) Green Car Insurance Companies Usually Offer Low-Priced Insurance

Some Green Car Insurance Companies have better and cheaper offers when it comes to green car insurance. It acts as a type of incentive for people to buy more green cars.

So actually by buying a green car, you’re saving more than just the environment, you’re also saving more money. That’s why, if you don’t own a green car now, you might want to think about purchasing one in the near future.

Again: It’s not easy being green—but if you stick with it, the rewards can be incredibly fulfilling.

I just visited a car exhibition back in Washington a few weeks ago. Here’s what I saw there and it’s called the Eco-Jeep. I’ll discuss some of the great features of this vehicle in my next post