JohnLeeToday

In these times of a global recession and the collapse of the American auto industry perhaps we can look back and be reminiscent of the beginning. Although the automobile was invented by Karl Benz of Germany, it was Ford who began the modern practice of mass producing automobiles.
The likes of Ford, Dodge, and Chrysler of Detroit are now setting their roots in California. There is no other place in the world where this new green movement and the new revolution of the auto industry is more appropriately placed then California. It is the lone state in the US which has its own standards when it comes to emissions( the California Air Resources Board). CARB sets their own standards more stringent than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which governs the rest of the US.
A hybrid or an electric vehicles are appealing to the environmentally conscious person not to a true performance enthusiast. The major manufacturers have been developing new and more environmentally friendly substitutions but they mostly simply do not appeal to me personally. I really like what Lexus has been doing lately with their hybrid models. They’ve marketed the hybrid model to be the top of the line and the best performing for example in the Lexus GS model line up the hybrid model (GS 450h) actually has more power than the available 8 cylinder (GS 460) version. This to me is a really step forward decision on Toyota’s part to market hybrid vehicles to be of something desirable to the performance oriented person.
Anyways, enough side tracking, what I intend to say by the title of this post is that California is the home to two major new car manufacturers, Tesla and Fisker.
Tesla has been a around for a couple years now they have the first ever fully electronic roadster, appropriately named the Tesla Roadster. They took the frame of a Lotus Elise equipped it with electric motors and battery packs and have created a sports car that does 0 – 60 under 4 seconds and a range of 244 miles (392 km). Supercar performance in an electric vehicle. They are coming out with a 4 door sedan/hatchback called Model S to be delivering in 2011. They are claiming 300 mile range and 0 – 60 in 5.6 seconds AND will seat up to 7…
Fisker’s Karma is a fresh and beautifully sculpted design. I think this car is a game changer in its design and luxury appeal. The specifications as of now say 0 – 60 time of under 6 seconds and range of 300 miles (482 km).
Enough talk, here are some vids…
TESLA

FISKER