Car manufacturers are listening to consumers who want more options when it comes to environmentally-friendly automobiles. For 2011, a number of hybrid cars will be available for consumers who want to take advantage of the gas savings that hybrid models provide. Some are brand new players in the hybrid car market, while others are upgrades of existing models.
BMW offers ActiveHybrid 5, 6 and 7 cars and SUVs. They are billed as among the world’s fastest hybrids, with 440 horsepower engines.
The Chevy Volt uses lithium-ion battery cells to travel up to 40 miles on a single charge. The Volt is a gas/electric hybrid vehicle.
Ford’s Escape Hybrid SUV gets 34 MPG city and 31 MPG highway and has been in production for five years. The automaker will also launch the second version of its Fusion Hybrid in 2011.
Sports car enthusiasts may wish to give the Honda CR-Z Hybrid a spin. It will have mileage similar to a smart car and also feature more storage than the traditional CR-Z model.
Luxury car lovers can look forward to hybrid models from Infiniti, Lexus and Porsche. Lexus’ hybrid entry will feature a sport mode that turns the eco-friendly car into a sports car.
Lincoln’s MKZ Hybrid not only gets 41 MPG city and 36 MPG highway, it is also designed with eco-friendly leather and wood trim in the vehicle comes from sustainably sourced forests.
Volkswagen is scheduled to roll out the Touraregs Hybrid, the company’s first, in 2011. In addition to being eco-friendly, the SUV will feature a larger sunroof and increased cargo space.
Kia will introduce it’s first hybrid to the U.S. market, the Kia Optima. With its new body style and luxury amenities, the Optima is getting an overall upgrade for 2011.
Finally, the highly anticipated Nissan Leaf is expected in 2011; the all-electric car is built to go up to 100 miles on a single charge.
