The race is on toward greener motoring—how will we fuel the cars of tomorrow?

Here comes hydrogen: In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger envisions a “hydrogen highway” with numerous refueling stations along major California thoroughfares; across the Atlantic, a small company with big connections recently debuted the newest entry in the hydrogen game—a cousin to the Smart Car that could be on the market as early as 2013. Chevrolet’s response to the alt-energy question, a hybrid plug-in model, is gearing up for a 2010 launch, and at press time multi-national newcomer Tesla Motors was taking reservations for its Model S, an electric sedan debuting in 2011, predicated to beat its already impressive electric Roadster sports car on the endurance front (Arnie has gotten behind the wheel of the Roadster, too).

For those uninitiated in the hydrogen vs. electric debate: Hydrogen-powered cars use fuel cells, electrochemical devices that combine hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity and give off water and heat as byproducts. This non-combustive conversion of fuel to energy makes for cleaner, quieter, more efficient cars—two to three times more efficient than fuel-burning models. A plug-in electric vehicle is a battery-powered machine recharged by connecting a plug to an electric power source to ensure zero emissions. In hybrid models, when the battery power gives out, fuel injection kicks in.

Hydrogen cars currently outpace electric cars in driving distance and recharge time. They don’t require a major lifestyle change compared to electric vehicles, though naysayers cite the lack of fueling stations as a major inconvenience. Proponents of battery-electric machines note that it’s three times more efficient to produce electricity and store in a battery than to convert the energy to hydrogen and back to electricity to power the car again. Questions of affordability and infrastructure raise another valid point against alternate-fuel vehicles, and yet, say supporters of green motoring, who could afford a first-generation mobile phone?

For now fossil fuels may still be king. But as the need for alternative fuel sources intensifies, so does the race among major auto makers to deliver environmentally responsible transportation—quite a departure from the recent past when improving, or even just maintaining, a healthy environment wasn’t a priority to the industry. Here, a look the contenders.

Riversimple: Moving People Sustainably Sebastian Piech has a pedigree that’s suited to pursuits of the auto variety. The grandson of Ferdinand Porsche financed the development of UK company Riversimple’s “open source” vehicle; a hydrogen-powered concept car designed for use in urban areas, a prototype of which was released in June. The Riversimple model, roughly the same size as a Smart Car, weighs just 350 kilograms with a top-speed capability of 80 kilometers per hour and a range of 300-plus kilometers on a small fuel cell and hydrogen tank.

A company spokesperson had this to say about Riversimple’s revolutionary ideas of ownership and personal transport: “The purpose of Riversimple is to move people sustainably. We will work systematically towards the elimination of the environmental impact of personal mobility”. The Riversimple sales scheme is just as innovative and interesting as the make itself. The cars will be leased for 20 years for approximately £200 a month, including any repair work needed and (are you sitting down?) fuel costs. The company has partnered with BOC, a British supplier of gases and to build a small number of refueling centers in the next few years. By leasing the cars, Riversimple says that it, “Aligns the interests of the manufacturer with the interests of the consumer and of the environment—everyone wants cars that have a long life span with maximum efficiency and minimum materials usage.”

The company hopes to release ten prototypes in a yet-to-be-announced UK city in 2010 and has set a 2013 production date. A breath of fresh air, indeed. GM Chevrolet Volt: The Future Is Electrifying General Motors-owned Chevrolet, one of America’s best-known automakers, has never really been associated with high-concept design, yet as the company’s new Volt model rapidly becomes a reality (it’s scheduled for production in late 2010 as a 2011 model) the brand is sending shockwaves through the industry. GM Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson says, “From the data we’ve seen, Chevy Volt drivers may be able to operate in pure electric mode on a daily basis without having to use any gas.” He goes on to call the Volt, which achieves triple-digit fuel economy, a “game-changer.” And given its goal of moving 75 percent of America’s commuters without a single drop of gas, it’s difficult not to agree.

Expected to travel up to 40 miles on electricity from a single battery charge and able to extend its overall range to more than 300 miles with its flex fuel-powered engine generator, the Volt is seemingly a response to data recently released from the U.S. Department of Transportation that reveals eight of 10 Americans commute fewer than 40 miles a day. The Volt purports to be the first mass-produced vehicle to claim more than 100 miles per gallon of composite fuel economy.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) weights plug-in electric vehicles as traveling more city miles than highway miles on only electricity. The EPA methodology uses kilowatt hours per 100 miles traveled to define the electrical efficiency of plug-ins. In plain dollars and cents: GM expects the Volt to consume as little as 25 kilowatt hours per 100 miles city driving. At the US average cost of electricity (approximately 11 cents per kWh), a typical volt driver would pay about $2.75 for electricity to travel 100 miles, or less than 3 cents per mile. With an anticipated $35,000 price tag, the car’s impressive mileage stats are no small comfort.

Tesla Model S: Social Responsibility Gets Sexy

Innovative start-up Tesla Motors is shattering the myth that electric cars must sacrifice performance and style. Its Roadster Sport goes 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, promises a smooth- as-silk ride, and comes in a shade of fire-engine red that’s guaranteed to turn heads. The company promises “zero emissions vehicles for zero guilt” and encourages its drivers to generate their own energy to fuel the cars by installing long-lasting solar panels in the back yard.
According to the company, the Roadster is faster than a Porsche 911 or Audi R8 and twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius—but the big news here is that it’s the only highway-capable electric vehicle for sale in Europe or North America and the first EV to travel more than 300 km per charge.
In terms of cost, the Roadster qualifies for numerous tax benefits in Europe, including sales, luxury, and use tax waivers in Scandinavia and exceptional incentives in Holland, making the car an unquestionable bargain compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. The relatively high cost of gas in Europe dramatically lowers Teslas’ total cost of ownership relative to gas-guzzlers. Eventually, the company expects sales to be roughly split between North America and Europe. And with the release of the Model S, a sedan that seats five, Tesla isn’t just cornering the mid-life crisis market, it’s ratcheting up its family appeal.