By filling this gap with hybrid and electric vehicles, passenger vehicle oil consumption and global warming emissions from cars and trucks can be reduced to below 1990 levels.

• Full hybrids that are currently available in the U.S. (such as a Prius) improve 150% on the fuel economy of today's conventional vehicles, saving nearly 4000 gallons of gasoline and $15,000 in today's fuel costs and keeping 47 tons of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.
• Battery-electric vehicle use electricity stored in its battery pack to power an electric motor, it costs pennies, rather than dollars at the gas pump, to recharge. Some electric cars currently being used get about 30 miles from a full charge, which at about 15 cents per kilowatt hour, amounts to a 60-cent fill-up, or two cents a mile; compared with 20 cents a mile for a car that goes 20 miles on one $4 gallon of gasoline.
• More advanced versions of electric cars will soon be available in the U.S. Nissan recently unveiled an electric vehicle, set for sale in the U.S. in 2010 that accelerates more quickly than comparable gas-engine cars. Moreover, Nissan, with French partner Renault SA, has announced a partnership with the Portuguese government to sell electric vehicles there in 2011, as well as in Israel and Denmark.

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