Suggested retail: undetermined.
7 Toyota Prius
Forget the awkwardness of the early prototypes. The 2005 Prius
comes with
Bluetooth technology for your
wireless devices, a six-CD
changer, and a sleek, head-turning new design. And there's that
$2,000 tax deduction to consider - not bad for a car that starts at
around $21,000.
For some, the four-door liftback Prius was the first and
remains the best of the hybrids, with a combined mileage of 55 for
the city and the highway. The car attracted 50,000 buyers in 2004
and forced a lengthy waiting time for delivery. This year, Toyota
aims at easing the wait and bumping market share with 100,000
Priuses destined for U.S. shores.
Suggested retail: Starts at $21,000 minus options, taxes, and
delivery.
8 Chevrolet Silverado and GM
Sierra
These sister - or brother - pickup trucks differ only in
styling. Under the hood, the technology is the same: three 14-volt
batteries plus a standard 12-volt one, and the standard-size,
5.3-liter V8 engine. You get 295 horsepower, 10,000 pounds of
towing capacity, and a slight increase in gas mileage: about 2 mpg
in the city and 1 mpg on the highway, for a total of about 18 in
town and 21 on the road. And if you want amenities, the options
include
satellite radio and OnStar navigation.
But these trucks aren't just vehicles; they're power plants as
well. They'll generate
electricity you can tap via standard,
three-pronged household outlets; the power keeps going for up to 32
hours on one tank of gas. Think contractors at a building site - or
television at the campsite.
The trucks are available only in six states this year:
California,
Oregon,
Washington,
Alaska,
Nevada, and
Florida. Next
year, they'll roll out to all 50 states.