MP3 Hybrid

OK, on to a more realistic plug-in. This is Piaggio MP3 Hybrid. You will actually be able buy these next year, and I think I actually want one. It will be (they claim) the first production plug-in hybrid vehicle. It runs on electricity, AND has a 124cc gas-powered engine that will take over when your charge is up. That means its range is not limited. And the battery is a Lithium-ion battery, the kind like in your cell phone that charges quickly and lasts long (another first for a production hybrid).

It will reach 64mph, and they claim 140mpg. Of course, if your trips are short and the gas engine never kicks in, that 140 could approach infinity.

The unlimited range and the electric engine make this an appealing package. One cool thing about an electric engine is that 100% of the torque is avalable from the instant you twitch the throttle. So even though it's a green vehicle, it won't be a wimp. This thing will jump off the line. Is it me, or does this even look better than the other MP3s? To read more, see Piaggio's website.