2006 Hybrid Buyers' Guide by Paul A. Eisenstein (9/4/2006)
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Review: Who Killed the Electric Car? by Bengt Halvorson (8/7/2006)
Film about death of the EV1 sparks big-screen debate.

All About Green Machines: Glossary by Paul A. Eisenstein (7/17/2006)
What's the difference between a biodiesel and McDonald's fry machine? Find out here.

"Who killed the electric car?" So goes the title of a recent documentary film. For all intents, efforts to mass-market electric vehicles has failed catastrophically since California's effort to mandate a market for battery-powered products was rolled back. So why are so many high-profile investors lining up to pump money into a small Southern California firm developing a $100,000 electric roadster?

Despite that hefty price tag, Tesla Motors is betting its little two-seater will have far more drawing power than previous EVs, including the General Motors EV1. The Roadster claims 0-60 mph times of just 4.0 seconds, a top speed of 150 mph and a range of at least 200 miles on the highway and 270 miles in stop-and-go urban driving. Using the U.S. government's calculations, the carbon fiber-bodied vehicle will get the "equivalent" of 130 miles per gallon.

"These vehicles won't compete on price," explains Elon Musk. The Roadster "will compete on performance" that matches that of many of the highest-powered gasoline-powered sports cars, adds Musk, one of the founders of the Internet's popular eBay auction site.

Musk has put up much of the $60 million so far raised by Tesla Motors, which is based in the Silicon Valley town of San Carlos. Other investors include Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the wealthy founders of Google. And Michael Dell, the mail order computer mega-millionaire, is among the many high-profile customers who have posted large deposits for a two-seater still months away from production.

Martin Eberhard, Tesla's CEO, is a man on a mission, intent on showing that electric vehicles can meet consumer expectations, despite conventional wisdom to the contrary. "We need to break our addiction to oil," Eberhard declares. But he admits that not everyone shares his socio-political convictions. So to connect with consumers, Tesla "can't (just) ask Americans to behave like better people. We have to build a better car."