Electric Car

So the good news is that I walked away from a fairly bad accident with just one scraped knuckle and whiplash. The bad news is that our beloved Prius is bring written off by our insurance company. The really bad news is that our HOV stickers are also toast. We love our Prius. It works well for our family of four plus Labrador. I use it for client meetings, even hauling my long projection screen around for ordering sessions. True, it is not ideal for carpooling as we can get just two child car seats in the back seats. But we manage. At any rate - by necessity the search is on for a replacement car.

During my research I ran across this hybrid car scorecard compiled by the Union of Concerned Scientists. They gave the Prius a score of 9.8 out of ten. Their scorecard has good, solid information about all available hybrids in the U.S. When we first purchased our Prius in 2006, it was an unusual choice, with limited availability. But then, as now, we like the idea of making a major purchase that supports alternative energy technology.

We are taking the time to consider the whole carpooling thing, especially as our oldest is entering first grade this Fall. My husband and I have a running joke about (not) getting a minivan. An SUV just does not fit our environmental values. I did some research on hybrid SUVs, which all seem rather pointless - we'd be better off just getting a gas-driven with good fuel efficiency.

I was hoping to find that electric cars were an option; but I think we'll sit out this first generation of all-electric vehicles. With a 100-mile maximum radius, the five-passenger Nissan Leaf is *almost* viable, I think, if California continues to install high-speed charging stations.

We are drifting towards purchasing another Prius. Did I mention we *really* love this car? If we can find a good deal on a used one, that would be more eco-friendly, methinks. But with the price of a new 2010 Prius being very close to prices for recent used models...well, stay tuned, we'll eventually have to return our temporary rental car. Which, not so coincidentally, happens to be a Prius.