Although mass production and use of solar cars is still a long way off.  It’s nice to see that Toyota has taken the first steps toward the use of solar energy to replace fuel consumption on it’s eco-friendly Prius.

The solar panel roof option will be available this Spring, and will power a cooling system without power from the engine.  The solar panel will provide energy to a ventilation fan that will help keep the car cool on hot sunny days.

Dang, if only I hadn’t spent my last $750,000, I could buy myself a really cool solar car. Who knew that with a bit of cash I might have been able to drive almost 2000 miles at 75 miles an hour with using any gas. I guess I’ll have to wait until I get another $750,000 to try out this beauty.

So it’s not as light as a feather but with a fiberglass body and aluminum chassis is pretty close. And yes, it really does run on air.

These stylish eco-friendly cars are taking the planet by storm, it seems we may see more “compressed air stations” popping up to replace the gas station.

For most people the idea of an eco-friendly car brings up images of stripped down not very visually appealing vehicles, but the cool Tesla is changing all that with it’s sleek designs, quick acceleration and long range driving.

The hefty $92,000 price tag keeps it out of the economy class but is still within the reach of the well to do environmentally friendly crowd.

Global warming is now a big issue and is being talked about in all parts of the world. There are a lot of people who are looking into being able to help reduce the carbon footprint that is left by the burning of fuel. A lot of people have realized that everyone needs to take part in saving the environment.

One of the biggest problems and contributors to the rapid deterioration of the environment is air pollution. The smoke that comes from combustion systems in vehicles, homes and other facilities release irritants and other pollutants in the air. These include but are not limited to carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides that can be harmful to the environment including your health. So a lot of people have been setting up talks about cars and the environment. They are determined to be able to help increase awareness when it comes to cars & the environment and how you can be able to help decrease the carbon footprint you leave with your car. There are some groups who are pushing for more eco-friendly cars to be manufactured and released into the market.

If you are wondering what the connection is with cars and the environment, well, you have to know that the pollutants that are released from the smoke that comes from the burning of gas greatly affects the ozone layer. The ozone layer protects you from the scorching rays from the sun that bring ultraviolet rays. Ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer. The destruction of the ozone layer could also lead to the rapid increase of the temperature in the atmosphere.

Since a lot more people have been aware about the dangers that concern cars and the environment, more and more consumers turn to using eco friendly vehicles. These vehicles do away with the use of fossil fuels and use other forms of fuel. These alternative power sources are bio-diesel, ethanol, electricity, fuel cells, natural gas and hybrid. Some of these options may cost a little more than regular cars. And the balance between efficiency and financial costs depend on where you actually live in. If you live in an area where there is high production of corn, barley or wheat, you can choose to use ethanol powered vehicles. The plants mentioned are used to manufacture ethanol.

Bio-diesel is another increasingly popular alternatives promoted by those who are concerned about their cars & the environment. The fuel is manufactured from vegetable oil. This fuel works best for places that have a constant temperature to work with the whole year round. This is because when the temperature drops, the oil will solidify and therefore, could not be burned properly.

Lastly, hybrid vehicles are those cars with two power sources: batteries and gas. The system will help you save a lot of money when it comes to fuel consumption and expenses as you can switch to battery power when you are stuck in traffic or when you are running on low speeds. The idea here is to be able to increase the efficiency of the engine while reducing the carbon emissions from the vehicle. However, you can expect to spend a pretty penny for the car since the technology requires a huge amount of money.

Owen Wilson has been an advocate of of the eco-friendly Prius for several years, even asking for the hybrid whenever Studio’s offer him a car on the set of his movies.

With his own unique sense of humor, he at times downplays his status as an eco-friendly celebrity but in his case actions speak louder than words.

Last year he made the move to a completely solar-powered home in an eco-friendly community on Maui.

Owen joins friends Woody Harrelson and Pierce Brosnan as residence.

Been hearing a lot about this whole convert your car to water power thing…

Let me just ask you…. “Would you trust the guy in this video with your car?”

Think People!   Sometimes you just need to step away from the idea that is too good to be true..

Once upon a time … a long time ago….

I actually owned a Lincoln with a BMW diesel engine…. It was NOT a pleasant experience..

It also was not an environmentally friendly experience..

The smell … the soot … the fuel cost…. EEK!

But…

Things have changed since the 80′s.

Take a look at what BMW Diesel engines are all about today and see how you can save 1/3 of your fuel consumption.

It’s not official yet, but I think I have finally found the smallest car in the world…… The Windup Car.

Built by Perry Watkins of the UK and about the size of a small washing machine it was made from combining a Quad Cycle with a Postman Pat Toy Car it’s about 1/2 the size of the Peel Trident.

Stats:

39″ Tall

26″ Wide

51″ Long

Forget the Electric Car.

Forget the Solar Car.

At 100 mpg’s … You need the Munchkin Car.

These 1960′s cars look like they are straight out of the Wizard of Oz’s Munchkinland but were actually buidt in Peel, Isle of Man.

Take a good look at the Peel Trident and the Peel P50.