Think a luxurious vehicle and an eco-friendly lifestyle are mutually exclusive? Think again. The Tesla Model S is just one of a growing number of dream cars that deliver zero-emission performance.

For many generations, the automobile represented America’s lust for independence, self-expression, and yes, wealth. Back in the 1950’s and ’60’s, no one was thinking about carbon emissions or dependence on fossil fuels. All we wanted was a shiny paint job, a big engine, and to feel the wind in our hair as we sped off into the sunset.

Some of us still want these things, but knowledge of what those gas-guzzling engines do to the planet keeps us from indulging. We choose tiny cars that get much better gas mileage, or perhaps we opt to bike or walk whenever possible. But what if it were possible to feel the thrill of screaming down the highway without leaving a trail of pollution behind you? The Tesla Model S, one of the most popular all-electric cars to hit the U.S. market, and the four other dream cars on this list, make it possible.

1. Tesla Model S

The Tesla Model S offers two battery size options, with the biggest capable of supplying 300 miles of travel at 55 mph. But who wants to go 55? Top speed for the Tesla Model S is around 130 mph (not your average electric car, eh?). The average annual fuel cost for comparable gas-powered dream cars is over $5,000–the Tesla costs about $934. And have we mentioned it’s stunning to look at?

2. BMW i3

The latest to appear on the all-electric luxury car scene, the BMW i3 was only unveiled a few weeks ago. And while it is a hatchback, it still lives up to BMW’s high standards for aesthetic appeal and performance. “The car is designed to go from zero to 60 miles per hour (mph) in 7 seconds, up to top speeds of 93 mph,” reports Green Biz. About 25 percent of the plastics in the interior and 25 percent of the thermoplastics parts on the exterior were sourced from recycled materials or renewable sources, says BMW. The i3 will hit showrooms in the U.S. in spring 2014.

3. Fisker Karma

The Fisker Karma was one of the first brands to prove that you can have luxury and performance while eliminating carbon emissions. It features a “a very respectable 403 horsepower coupled with a jaw dropping 951 lb-ft of torque” which delivers “a zero-to-60 time of 7.9 seconds and a 95 mile per hour top speed – in electric-only “Stealth Mode,” according to Left Land News. The Karma offered it all, and many had high hopes for the brand. Unfortunately, the company has experienced money troubles in the past year, and some fear it will fold. Silver lining: the once $100,000 car can now be scooped up for about half the price.

4. Venturi America

Venturi calls the America a “high-riding sports car,” and with impressive ground clearance and a dune-buggy like appearance it’s not hard to see why. The valet will never bottom out when parking this two passenger beauty. “Powered by a 53 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery, the America has a driving a range of around 186 miles (presumably in Cruising mode) with a top speed of 124 miles per hour,” reports Autoblog. The bad news? Venturi is only making 100 of these door-less electric enduro cars, and in an ironic twist, none of will be sold in the U.S.

5. Rimac Concept One

Developed by a Croatian company called Rimac Automobili, the Concept One is meant to destroy our assumptions about how dream cars operate. The Concept One uses a set of four electric motors, one for each wheel, which allow the car to go from 0 to 60 mph in only 2.8 seconds, not topping out until about 190 mph. The interior, designed by the leather-specialists from Vilner, makes you feel like you’re in a well-appointed space ship, right down to the high-tech dials and ergonomic, hand-tailored seats.

Related Reading on Ecosalon:

The Next Tesla Could Feature Google’s Autopilot Tech

An All-Electric Sedan Made In The USA, For The USA

Images: Tesla Motors, Fisker, thesupermat, Rimac Automobili

The post The Tesla Model S And 4 More All-Electric Dream Cars appeared first on EcoSalon.

Rumor has it that the country’s most successful electric car company could be working with Google to introduce self-driving capabilities.

Nearly every auto manufacturer on the planet offers or is working on an electric car. For some, it’s only a tiny aspect of their fleet. For Tesla Motors, it’s everything. Dedicated only to the creation of sleek, high-performance plug-in cars, Tesla recently made headlines by announcing that it is on track to repay a $465m Department of Energy loan 9 years ahead of schedule. For car makers just struggling to break even on their EV dreams, the news was proof that Tesla is ahead of the game. Way ahead.

The success helps to explain another astounding announcement: Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, is talking with Google about adding driverless technology to his already awesome line of electric vehicles.

Google is the poster company for auto-piloted vehicles, a project that is already in testing on open roadways and has the entire auto industry buzzing. In an article describing the experience of riding in an auto-piloted car, Forbes’ Joann Muller writes, “The car we were riding in was a white Lexus RX450h outfitted with a $65,000 laser sensor on the roof, and other gear that included radar sensors in the front and rear bumpers, a high-def camera looking out from the windshield, and another looking inward at the passengers…On the instrument panel, a graphic depicted each of the cars around us as a white rectangle and tracked its movement relative to ours.”

Once you get over the initial shock and horror of allowing the car to merge onto the freeway at 65 mph without your help, the idea of riding in a self-piloted vehicle starts to sound cool. Eventually, you could take a road trip to catch up on some reading, safely send a text, or perhaps even sleep. The only imperfection would be that you’re still flinging pollution into the atmosphere. But that would change with an autonomous Tesla that runs on electricity.

“I like the word autopilot more than I like the word self-driving,” Musk said in an interview. “Self-driving sounds like it’s going to do something you don’t want it to do. Autopilot is a good thing to have in planes, and we should have it in cars.” As Engadget reports, “a hidden configuration page in current Tesla vehicles’ digital control panel reveals some additional features, including Blind Spot Detection, Adaptive Cruise and Lane Departure Warning. Though currently disabled, each could indicate plans to add automation features to the all-electric car.

The biggest hurdle, of course, is money. “The problem with Google’s current approach is that the sensor system is too expensive,” Musk said. “It’s better to have an optical system, basically cameras with software that is able to figure out what’s going on just by looking at things.”

If anyone can find a way to squeeze more tech into a car for less money, however, it’s Tesla. The company’s Model S sedan has a $69,900 base price, a far cry from The Roadster, the company’s first offering, which started at $109,000. The goal, according to Musk,  is to offer a model for about $30,000 within a few years.

Image: jurvetson and jurveston

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