Are you a petrohead with a conscience? Someone who likes the thought of owning an electric car but put off by the weedy sound of today’s offerings?

Well, for those of you who want to blend eco-cred with the engine roar of a Lamborghini, the wait may be finally over. New technology developed by Lotus and hi-fi whizz Harman Kardon will enable drivers of hybrid and electric cars to select the engine noise of their choice - from a beefy V8 to the swoosh! of the Enterprise at warp speed.

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Tesla has not always had an easy time breaking new ground in the electric roadster market. There have been plenty of hiccups along the way, and it doesn’t help that their first production vehicle costs well north of $100,000. That is, unless you live in Colorado.

The state best known for its snowy peak and undefeated football team (boooo Broncos) also offers a substantial tax break on all hybrid and electric vehicles. For the Tesla Roadster, that amounts to an amazing $42,000 off of the $109,000 car.

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There is a line being drawn in the sand between two-different types of hybrid cars. There are those that follow the model of the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape hybrid, which alternately use electric and gas power. Then there are those like the Volt which uses electric motors to drive the wheels while getting electricity from a small gas motor.

Lotus has developed a “range-extender engine” that falls into the latter catagory. It implements numerous money and weight saving features that could make extended-range hybrids even more appealing in the future.

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Take a look at the future of urban motoring. At least, that’s what UK car manufacturer Lotus would have us believe after revealing an exciting new all-electric car concept that it says most city cars might look like five years from now [video].

After a challenge by car magazine Automotive Engineer, the British design and engineering firm developed a concept some 3.74 inches shorter than a Smart ForTwo and nearly 16 inches shorter than the new Toyota iQ. Amazingly, Lotus reckon there’ll still be enough space for four adults (more photo’s after the jump).

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Everybody is jumping on the green-car bandwagon, even manufacturers who traditionally produce low-volume, high performance vehicles like Lotus. The Lotus tends to be a “driver’s car,” meant for flogging around corners on weekend race tracks, and to see one outside of its native track enviroment in something of a rarity. But if Koenigsegg can make a low-emissions racer, why not Lotus?

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Think a Ferrari is fast? Watch one get schooled below.

Electric cars are no joke. Yes, it’s true that many EVs are small, ungainly-looking oddities, but the other end of the spectrum—the realm of high-performance supercars—might surprise you.

After re-discovering a 1972 electric datsun that can accelerate from 0-60 in 3 seconds, we decided that an important question hadn’t really been answered yet:  how do the electric cars we’ve been hearing so much about stack up in terms of performance?

Below, we’ve listed the world’s top 10 fastest electric cars, based on the best available information (and a little creative license). Note that our criteria does not take into account a variety of important factors like charging time, availability, and cost. All cars are simply ranked by the time it takes them to get from 0-60 mph.

Most of the machines shown here are either not available or otherwise out out of the realm of possibility for most, but then again, so are most high-performance gas-powerd cars.  And that doesn’t keep us from admiring them. Please keep in mind that this post is not intended to be the final word on this topic.

Btw, if you’re interested in joining the first mailing list dedicated to bulk purchasing electric cars, check it out (you can also get cheap solar there too).

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Ever wish you could buy a car that would run on just about anything?  An engine that gave you something approaching the efficiency of diesel, and the convenience of gas?  Last week, the forward-thinkers at Lotus announced just that.

It’s called the Lotus Omnivore, and we’ve got all the details on this little, all-aluminum marvel.

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Despite a solid PR launch of Chrysler’s ENVI electric vehicle group, the current Dodge EV is little more than UK-only Lotus Europa with Dodge badges and fly-yellow paint.  This new concept, however, promises to be something more.

From Automotive News:

The Dodge EV shown in September was a Lotus-derived electric sports car. Look for the show version to have more Dodge styling cues and possibly be a four-passenger coupe.

Reading between the lines a bit, then, what can we expect from Chrysler?

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Envied worldwide for producing feather-lite supercars just itching to be made into electric torque monsters (even Tesla has borrowed heavily from the Lotus parts bin), Lotus has indicated it wants to enter the world of exotic electric cars itself - perhaps even as soon as late 2009.

Ever since the late Colin Chapman began building his own sportscars under the Lotus brand (way back in 1952!) the company has followed a simple philosophy for its go-fast racers: add lightness.  “Adding lightness” meant that Chapman’s cars were incredibly efficient - using less fuel and fewer tires than the competition.

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The Baby Buddha Love Onesie is made from organic cotton. Organic cotton is healthier for baby and the planet.

We all absorb chemicals through our skin and through our environment.  Babies and young children’s skin is thinner than adults and therefore more sensitive to these chemicals.  Choosing organic cotton safeguards your child from the pesticides, insecticides and other toxins used to grow and manufacture conventional cotton products and helps transform the marketplace into a healthier and more conscious one for ALL.

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Lotus makes biofuel concept ride to handle the elements in Antarctica. The Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV) is intended to be more of a scout vehicle to be used ahead of the larger cargo and passenger vehicles. The CIV is equipped to detect crevasses with radar.

via treehugger.com

4. L1X-75: 0-60 in 3.1 Seconds

The carbon-fiber, 600hp L1X-75 is a confusing case because we’re not sure it really exists. Apparently, Popular Mechanics writers discovered it at the 2007 New York auto show, quoting pickup of 0-60 in 3.1s and a top speed of 175 mph. They even had a video to prove it, which is (sadly) no longer available.

According to Motor Authority, the car was developed as a joint venture between Hybrid Technologies Inc. and Mullen Motor Company, which makes a gasoline version ranked as the 7th fastest American production car.

But if you take a look at the Hybrid Technologies website, all you’ll find is something called the LiV RUSH, which would be knocked off this list for taking 5s to get to 60mph. Mullen Motor’s website shows a GTEV with 0-60mph acceleration time of 4.5s.

If you know what happened to this car, please let us know. Otherwise, I’m going to exercise my creative license and leave this phantom at #4.

5. AC Propulsion tzero Roadster: 0-60 mph in 3.6s

The tzero (pronounced  tee-zero) only needs 200 horsepower to rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, due to a light-weight body. Built by San Dimas, CA-based AC Propulsion, the car has apparently owned both Porsche 911s and Corvettes, and even a Ferrari F355 in 1/8-mile drag race.

AC Propulsion has apparently manufactured the car since 1997, starting with lead-acid batteries and then moving to lithium-ion which extended the range from 100 to about 300 miles per charge.

Don’t expect to see this one on the street:  it’s a $220,000 prototype that probably won’t ever be more than a proof-of-concept.

6. Tesla Roadster: 0-60 mph in 3.9s

Tesla has been the darling of electric car afficionados for some time, mostly because they’ve produced a great car that is both available and, to some, affordable. Even though the Roadster’s top speed is electronically limited at 125 mph, it’s great to see it make a strong showing on this list with an acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds.

Besides the roadster, Tesla has a sedan in the works (the Model S), which just debuted last week.

Check out the 248 peak horsepower output in this video (thanks Huddler):

This post contains additional media. Click here to view the full post.

7. Eliica: 0-60 mph in 4s

While it looks like something out of a bad scifi movie, the Eliica—even with 8 wheels—accelerates faster than a Porsche 911 Turbo. The Eliica (which stands for Electric Lithium-Ion Car) was built by a team at Keio University in Tokyo under the direction of the inventor, Hiroshi Shimizu.

Looks aren’t everything: the 640 hp eight-wheel drive hits 60 mph in 4 seconds and has been clocked at Italy’s Nardò High Speed Track at an impressive 230 mph. Under the right conditions, the Eliica team claims it could clear 250 mph.

Don’t expect to see this one anywhere. Price tag: $255,000 US

NEXT: 8. Rinspeed iChange: 0-60 mph in 4s:

8. Rinspeed iChange: 0-60 mph in 4s

This is another concept car we profiled recently. Debuting at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, the Rinspeed iChange has the unique distinction of actually being able to change it’s body shape to suit passengers numbers.

More importantly, it looks pretty badass, and can accelerate from 0-62 mph in just over four seconds, with a top speed of 137 mph. For more detail: Rinspeed iChange EV Changes Shape To Suit Passenger Numbers

9. Tango: 0-60 mph in 4s

Let me cut you off: I don’t believe it either. How can something that looks like this ever be taken seriously? Commuter Cars, the manufacturer of this vehicle, claims in all seriousness that this is the ‘world’s fastest urban car’.

Statistically speaking–if you take their word for it–this is true: 0-60mph in 4s and a top speed of 120mph. I’m not sure how this thing would bank sharp turns, though the company website said the Nascar roll cage is designed for 200mph crashes.

And yes, they do exist. George Clooney has one. Check out some really low-quality video here.

And check out everything you wanted to know in this 24-minute video:

This post contains additional media. Click here to view the full post.

10. Dodge Circuit EV: 0-60 in under 5s

This may be one of the more controversial cars on the list: the Dodge Circuit EV has been called little more than a re-badged Lotus toy, since it’s actually a retooled Lotus Europa. It’s also been called by our very own Jo Borras a “marketing exercise (at best) and a con (at worst).”

Whether that’s true or not, the prototype has a 268 hp electric that produces 480 lb-ft of torque and a reported top speed fo 120 mph.

The Circuit appeared at the 2009 Detroit auto show and could portend future electric models in Chrysler’s lineup (but don’t quote us on this).

Bonus: How does a High-performance Plug-in Hybrid Compare?

11. Fisker Karma: 0-60 in 5.8s

We wouldn’t feel good about keeping Fisker’s Karma, the highly-anticipated and high-performance plug-in hybrid, off the list. The Karma is really only a different beast in terms of range and recharging, since plug-in hybrids use an onboard generator to recharge their batteries.

So how does it compare? The Karma has two modes to accommodate different driving styles. It will do 0-60 in 5.8 seconds in ‘Sport Mode,’ with a top speed of 125 mph. In the more economical ‘Stealth Mode’ will hit 60mph only after 7.5 seconds and top speed of 95 mph.

That’s it! What did we forget?

Here’s the whole gallery:

British car-maker Lotus has unveiled an environmentally-friendly concept car, which is partly made of hemp, at the British International Motor Show. The Lotus Eco-Elise (pictured above) sports body panels manufactured entirely from hemp (they’re the brown bits on the roof and bonnet).

Compared to metal, hemp is a very lightweight material, which helps to improve vehicle performance and promote greater fuel-efficiency. Hemp is also a renewable, lightweight material that absorbs CO2 through photosynthesis. In addition, the particular type of hemp used by Lotus is ethically produced in close proximity to the manufacturing plant, keeping a lid on the emissions made through transportation.

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Cool replica of the Lotus 7 with plenty of horsepower and legendary performance.

Source:

4. L1X-75: 0-60 in 3.1 Seconds

The carbon-fiber, 600hp L1X-75 is a confusing case because we’re not sure it really exists. Apparently, Popular Mechanics writers discovered it at the 2007 New York auto show, quoting pickup of 0-60 in 3.1s and a top speed of 175 mph. They even had a video to prove it, which is (sadly) no longer available.

According to Motor Authority, the car was developed as a joint venture between Hybrid Technologies Inc. and Mullen Motor Company, which makes a gasoline version ranked as the 7th fastest American production car.

But if you take a look at the Hybrid Technologies website, all you’ll find is something called the LiV RUSH, which would be knocked off this list for taking 5s to get to 60mph. Mullen Motor’s website shows a GTEV with 0-60mph acceleration time of 4.5s.

If you know what happened to this car, please let us know. Otherwise, I’m going to exercise my creative license and leave this phantom at #4.

5. AC Propulsion tzero Roadster: 0-60 mph in 3.6s

The tzero (pronounced  tee-zero) only needs 200 horsepower to rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, due to a light-weight body. Built by San Dimas, CA-based AC Propulsion, the car has apparently owned both Porsche 911s and Corvettes, and even a Ferrari F355 in 1/8-mile drag race.

AC Propulsion has apparently manufactured the car since 1997, starting with lead-acid batteries and then moving to lithium-ion which extended the range from 100 to about 300 miles per charge.

Don’t expect to see this one on the street:  it’s a $220,000 prototype that probably won’t ever be more than a proof-of-concept.

6. Tesla Roadster: 0-60 mph in 3.9s

Tesla has been the darling of electric car afficionados for some time, mostly because they’ve produced a great car that is both available and, to some, affordable. Even though the Roadster’s top speed is electronically limited at 125 mph, it’s great to see it make a strong showing on this list with an acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds.

Besides the roadster, Tesla has a sedan in the works (the Model S), which just debuted last week.

Check out the 248 peak horsepower output in this video (thanks Huddler):

This post contains additional media. Click here to view the full post.

7. Eliica: 0-60 mph in 4s

While it looks like something out of a bad scifi movie, the Eliica—even with 8 wheels—accelerates faster than a Porsche 911 Turbo. The Eliica (which stands for Electric Lithium-Ion Car) was built by a team at Keio University in Tokyo under the direction of the inventor, Hiroshi Shimizu.

Looks aren’t everything: the 640 hp eight-wheel drive hits 60 mph in 4 seconds and has been clocked at Italy’s Nardò High Speed Track at an impressive 230 mph. Under the right conditions, the Eliica team claims it could clear 250 mph.

Don’t expect to see this one anywhere. Price tag: $255,000 US

NEXT: 8. Rinspeed iChange: 0-60 mph in 4s:

8. Rinspeed iChange: 0-60 mph in 4s

This is another concept car we profiled recently. Debuting at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, the Rinspeed iChange has the unique distinction of actually being able to change it’s body shape to suit passengers numbers.

More importantly, it looks pretty badass, and can accelerate from 0-62 mph in just over four seconds, with a top speed of 137 mph. For more detail: Rinspeed iChange EV Changes Shape To Suit Passenger Numbers

9. Tango: 0-60 mph in 4s

Let me cut you off: I don’t believe it either. How can something that looks like this ever be taken seriously? Commuter Cars, the manufacturer of this vehicle, claims in all seriousness that this is the ‘world’s fastest urban car’.

Statistically speaking–if you take their word for it–this is true: 0-60mph in 4s and a top speed of 120mph. I’m not sure how this thing would bank sharp turns, though the company website said the Nascar roll cage is designed for 200mph crashes.

And yes, they do exist. George Clooney has one. Check out some really low-quality video here.

And check out everything you wanted to know in this 24-minute video:

This post contains additional media. Click here to view the full post.

10. Dodge Circuit EV: 0-60 in under 5s

This may be one of the more controversial cars on the list: the Dodge Circuit EV has been called little more than a re-badged Lotus toy, since it’s actually a retooled Lotus Europa. It’s also been called by our very own Jo Borras a “marketing exercise (at best) and a con (at worst).”

Whether that’s true or not, the prototype has a 268 hp electric that produces 480 lb-ft of torque and a reported top speed fo 120 mph.

The Circuit appeared at the 2009 Detroit auto show and could portend future electric models in Chrysler’s lineup (but don’t quote us on this).

Bonus: How does a High-performance Plug-in Hybrid Compare?

11. Fisker Karma: 0-60 in 5.8s

We wouldn’t feel good about keeping Fisker’s Karma, the highly-anticipated and high-performance plug-in hybrid, off the list. The Karma is really only a different beast in terms of range and recharging, since plug-in hybrids use an onboard generator to recharge their batteries.

So how does it compare? The Karma has two modes to accommodate different driving styles. It will do 0-60 in 5.8 seconds in ‘Sport Mode,’ with a top speed of 125 mph. In the more economical ‘Stealth Mode’ will hit 60mph only after 7.5 seconds and top speed of 95 mph.

That’s it! What did we forget?

Here’s the whole gallery:

The latest concept car uses a Vauxhall Astra body, housing a three-cylinder 1.5-litre engine integrated with a hybrid drive, and a 12kw electric motor. The car utilizes the three-cylinder combustion engine in parallel to the electric motor, allowing for extra performance and fewer emissions.

Electric-powered fuel and water pumps help cut fuel consumption, and an exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head uses fewer components and weight reduction.

This isn’t the first venture into electric by Lotus, having worked with ZAP cars in developing the seven-seat 635bhp electric crossover.

Source

4. L1X-75: 0-60 in 3.1 Seconds

The carbon-fiber, 600hp L1X-75 is a confusing case because we’re not sure it really exists. Apparently, Popular Mechanics writers discovered it at the 2007 New York auto show, quoting pickup of 0-60 in 3.1s and a top speed of 175 mph. They even had a video to prove it, which is (sadly) no longer available.

According to Motor Authority, the car was developed as a joint venture between Hybrid Technologies Inc. and Mullen Motor Company, which makes a gasoline version ranked as the 7th fastest American production car.

But if you take a look at the Hybrid Technologies website, all you’ll find is something called the LiV RUSH, which would be knocked off this list for taking 5s to get to 60mph. Mullen Motor’s website shows a GTEV with 0-60mph acceleration time of 4.5s.

If you know what happened to this car, please let us know. Otherwise, I’m going to exercise my creative license and leave this phantom at #4.

5. AC Propulsion tzero Roadster: 0-60 mph in 3.6s

The tzero (pronounced  tee-zero) only needs 200 horsepower to rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, due to a light-weight body. Built by San Dimas, CA-based AC Propulsion, the car has apparently owned both Porsche 911s and Corvettes, and even a Ferrari F355 in 1/8-mile drag race.

AC Propulsion has apparently manufactured the car since 1997, starting with lead-acid batteries and then moving to lithium-ion which extended the range from 100 to about 300 miles per charge.

Don’t expect to see this one on the street:  it’s a $220,000 prototype that probably won’t ever be more than a proof-of-concept.

6. Tesla Roadster: 0-60 mph in 3.9s

Tesla has been the darling of electric car afficionados for some time, mostly because they’ve produced a great car that is both available and, to some, affordable. Even though the Roadster’s top speed is electronically limited at 125 mph, it’s great to see it make a strong showing on this list with an acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds.

Besides the roadster, Tesla has a sedan in the works (the Model S), which just debuted last week.

Check out the 248 peak horsepower output in this video (thanks Huddler):

This post contains additional media. Click here to view the full post.

7. Eliica: 0-60 mph in 4s

While it looks like something out of a bad scifi movie, the Eliica—even with 8 wheels—accelerates faster than a Porsche 911 Turbo. The Eliica (which stands for Electric Lithium-Ion Car) was built by a team at Keio University in Tokyo under the direction of the inventor, Hiroshi Shimizu.

Looks aren’t everything: the 640 hp eight-wheel drive hits 60 mph in 4 seconds and has been clocked at Italy’s Nardò High Speed Track at an impressive 230 mph. Under the right conditions, the Eliica team claims it could clear 250 mph.

Don’t expect to see this one anywhere. Price tag: $255,000 US

NEXT: 8. Rinspeed iChange: 0-60 mph in 4s:

8. Rinspeed iChange: 0-60 mph in 4s

This is another concept car we profiled recently. Debuting at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, the Rinspeed iChange has the unique distinction of actually being able to change it’s body shape to suit passengers numbers.

More importantly, it looks pretty badass, and can accelerate from 0-62 mph in just over four seconds, with a top speed of 137 mph. For more detail: Rinspeed iChange EV Changes Shape To Suit Passenger Numbers

9. Tango: 0-60 mph in 4s

Let me cut you off: I don’t believe it either. How can something that looks like this ever be taken seriously? Commuter Cars, the manufacturer of this vehicle, claims in all seriousness that this is the ‘world’s fastest urban car’.

Statistically speaking–if you take their word for it–this is true: 0-60mph in 4s and a top speed of 120mph. I’m not sure how this thing would bank sharp turns, though the company website said the Nascar roll cage is designed for 200mph crashes.

And yes, they do exist. George Clooney has one. Check out some really low-quality video here.

And check out everything you wanted to know in this 24-minute video:

This post contains additional media. Click here to view the full post.

10. Dodge Circuit EV: 0-60 in under 5s

This may be one of the more controversial cars on the list: the Dodge Circuit EV has been called little more than a re-badged Lotus toy, since it’s actually a retooled Lotus Europa. It’s also been called by our very own Jo Borras a “marketing exercise (at best) and a con (at worst).”

Whether that’s true or not, the prototype has a 268 hp electric that produces 480 lb-ft of torque and a reported top speed fo 120 mph.

The Circuit appeared at the 2009 Detroit auto show and could portend future electric models in Chrysler’s lineup (but don’t quote us on this).

Bonus: How does a High-performance Plug-in Hybrid Compare?

11. Fisker Karma: 0-60 in 5.8s

We wouldn’t feel good about keeping Fisker’s Karma, the highly-anticipated and high-performance plug-in hybrid, off the list. The Karma is really only a different beast in terms of range and recharging, since plug-in hybrids use an onboard generator to recharge their batteries.

So how does it compare? The Karma has two modes to accommodate different driving styles. It will do 0-60 in 5.8 seconds in ‘Sport Mode,’ with a top speed of 125 mph. In the more economical ‘Stealth Mode’ will hit 60mph only after 7.5 seconds and top speed of 95 mph.

That’s it! What did we forget?

Here’s the whole gallery: