Supercars which guzzle gas are becoming old-fashioned – the latest generation of playboys’ cars are green, fuel-efficient, hybrids, even electric – and they’re fast!
For most of us, an economical car means it saves us money, but what if money is no object?
When it comes to supercars, it’s about the mph, not the mpg – the faster you can get to the next petrol station, the better. But in 2009, with even the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren toying with hybrid technology, some manufacturers are ditching fossil fuels and going completely electric.
- While every recent car show has been clogged up with EV (electric vehicle) prototypes, Tesla Motors is currently the only company with high performance EVs in production. Named after the famous Serbian electrical engineer of the early 20th century, the company’s output matches or betters the performance of most petrol-powered cars. The Tesla Roadster does 0-60 in 3.7 seconds – it’s as fast as a Porsche, but twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius hybrid. It’s also paving the way for a string of niche companies building ever more glamorous EVs and hybrids.
- Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg has a solar-electric concept car called Quant with a range of 500 kilometers that takes just 20 minutes to recharge. The company also makes the bio fuel powered CCXR that – with a top speed of over 250 – is even more powerful than its standard petrol CCX.
- Meanwhile, Fisker Automotive is building Karma, a meaty 403 horsepower plug-in hybrid that gets 67.2mpg (combined city and motorway) – the Toyota Prius gets 50mpg and emits more carbon dioxide.
- But maybe the company to watch is Shelby SuperCars, who’s Ultimate Aero overtook the Bugatti Veyron to become the fastest production car in the world in 2007. The company is working on an EV with 1,000 horsepower and a top speed of 208 mph.
With Audi, BMW and Mercedes also tinkering with their own EV designs, it’s only a matter of time before the technology soon to be spun around the Top Gear test track is parked on our own driveways.
Think about the environment when you come to buy your next car and be sure to check out our green car guide (where smaller and less-super is better).
Once you’ve found your eco-friendly car, get an online car insurance quote from Churchill.