by Scarlett de Courcier

Created on: January 17, 2009

As the level of concern about the environment increases, so too does the demand for 'greener' cars. Recently we have witnessed the release of hybrid cars, electric cars, and even a car that runs entirely on hydrogen. In searching for your 'green' car, however, what do you have to choose from?

The Xebra electric sedan a small, fun vehicle that comes in a range of different colours. For the vertically challenged, this car would be a perfect choice: it's sort of a cross between an old Fiat 500, and the teeny blue car Clarkson drove into the BBC office in that episode of

Top Gear. didn't see it? Why not? The Xebra is only $11, 700 - you can order it from Zapworld - and, if you want to, you can order one with a zebra-stripe pattern to live up to its name. Well, almost. One of the main ideas of the Xebra is for it to be a refreshing break from noisy combustible engines - so expect a peaceful driving experience. Until you run into a rush hour queue, that is. On the downside, it only does 40mph; so if, like me, you're a bit of a speed freak, this probably isn't the car for you.

If you prefer a bit of excitement, you could always go the way of Dale Vince from Ecotricity and have Lotus make you a wind-powered car on the Exige. This would, however, be a fairly expensive project. So are there any 'green' cars for the absolute petrolhead? Perhaps the most promising candidate from the Detroit auto show is the Fisker Karma Sunset - which is, for the moment, still a concept. It looks beautiful, but in the current climate, it's doubtful that the company will be able to throw together such a groundbreaking effort. The Tesla roadster is a good effort - aesthetically pleasing, sporty, etc.; but it's not like saying you have a Ferrari, is it?

Thus we are left with not many options. The new generation Toyota Prius is out, if you're looking for something practical and not very exciting. Vauxhall has extended their EcoFlex range, which includes the Astra, Corsa, Agila and Insignia. There are a number of similar cars out there; perfect for the eco-friendly family. Some manufacturers are even tackling the territory of people-carriers and other large family cars.

Many hybrid and electric cars are compact, fun-looking, sort of cute vehicles which will, most likely, appeal to the female demographic. The larger cars tend to look ungainly and ugly, thus removing the appeal for both your average petrolhead and the stylish businessman. Therefore, if you want an eco-car, you either have to like cute little cars, be willing to buy a car you don't like the look of, or care more about the environment than you do about style. Which, arguably, should have been the case in the first place.

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