Just look at this beauty...it's not actually hovering, but you'd be forgiving for falling for this illusion owing to its striking resemblance to the flying car in the Jetsons.

Meet the Aptera; the latest in a line of increasingly mad-looking eco friendly cars. It's a two-plus-one seater number, which can allegedly achieve top speeds of 95 mph and 0-60mph in 10 seconds. Safety and entertainment features include airbags, rear view camera, GPS and a media player, with solar-assisted climate control using the solar panels set into the roof.

As if we didn't need it, here's proof that Google is still greener than its 'energy saving' rival, Blackle!

The world's favourite search engine has announced that it is to invest $10 million in “green” startups with a new scheme called RechargeIT. Specifically, the company is looking to invest $500k - $2 million in multiple for-profit startups that are focusing on electric and hybrid transport.

Google is asking for funding proposals to be submitted to by October 22 (FAQ here). These will be reviewed by Google employees, as well as a team of external advisers with expertise in Electric vehicles. Google is certainly a company with a good track record for tapping into the zeitgeist, so this project could result in some very interesting and worthwhile projects. Go google!

As a non-driver, the main reasons I do not want a car are the pollution and carbon emissions I would create. There are enough options with public transport in London for me to not really need a car. For many people in more rural communities a car is pretty much essential though, and when I finally move to the country I will need a car. Now there are much ‘greener’ alternatives, I can get one without the guilt. Hybrid Technologies in the USA is one of the world’s leaders in all-electric vehicles. Their latest offering is an all-electric Mini Cooper. This is a standard BMW Mini Cooper that has an electric engine powered by 10 maintenance-free lithium ion battery packs. It can reach speeds of up to 80mph and can go from 0-60 in6 seconds. The car has a range of around 120 miles and needs 8-10 hours for a full charge. This should be enough for most journeys, I would probably get a train for longer distances anyway. As the technology improves, so will the speed and range of electric vehicles, making them increasingly practical and affordable.

Until now, a major drawback of electric cars has been their smallness: they include the famously diminutive Smart car (an electric version was recently launched); the G-Wiz, which is so tiny it failed routine safety tests; and the original two-seater NICE Mega city car. All great if what you want is a miniature run-around to transport you and your briefcase to and from work, but not so great if you have a family to move from A to B.

Toyota has created a new model of hybrid car that plugs into a household socket with an increase in the distance it can travel between charges. Other major manufacturers are also developing their own version of plug-in hybrid cars. One thing they all have in common is a capacity to charge the battery as the car is being driven, through the brakes and the wheels rotating. The advantage of these plug-in hybrids is that they run for longer using the battery power than regular hybrids.

There are some electric motorbikes and scooters that I think should remain as concepts, and never rear their ugly heads on our streets. The Enertia Bike by Brammo Sports is an electric bike which is not only about to become a reality, hitting stores across the US at the beginning of next year, but as you can see it's also rather attractive too. [via treehugger.com]

Related: E-max funky electric scooter - The price might be right! | Vectrix electric scooter – Yay or nay?

It looks a bit like an armadillo, but it's actually a solar powered motorbike by Spanish company SunRed. The idea, which won a prize for innovation at the Barcelona Motor show, is that when the bike is parked the large fold-out solar panels will cover the vehicle and the rays will charge up the bike's battery. It will have a range of around 13 miles and a top speed of 30mph, so not exactly one for a blast down the coast at the weekend, but ideal for city use. This is a concept model, but the company are planning a prototype soon, so watch this space!

[via treehugger.com]

Related: E-max funky electric scooter - The price might be right! | Vectrix electric scooter – Yay or nay?

Well I would say yay… I think. It’s nice looking, no emissions, eco, green, hippy, all that stuff. For most people the big deal is how cheap it is. A full charge costs approximately 20 pence and that gets you 70 miles. So covering 200 miles per week at average speeds of 35 to 50mph costs a quid, £1, that’s nothing, well in fact it’s 90 per cent less than petrol. Plus it’s also exempt from road tax and qualifies for a 50 per cent saving on insurance premiums.

Related stories: Toni Electroni scooter | Bikes and scooters go mainstream

NICE stands for 'no internal combustion engine', and it's the company responsible for the cute, zero-emission vans that have appeared all over London in recent months. Due to the vans' resounding success in the capital (taking into account congestion charging, and fuel costs they can save businesses up to £7,000 a year), NICE is now bringing the zero emission experience to the masses, with its Mega City car - a must-have for true urbanites who want to be nice to the environment.

The Mega City is exempt from road tax, as well as congestion charging. While the car itself produces no C02 emissions, you can go a step further, and opt for a completely carbon neutral package, as NICE will ensure that the electricity used to charge your car will come exclusively from renewable sources, provided by Ecotricity. Alternatively, you can choose a carbon offset scheme. The car retails from £9 995.00 (VAT inclusive)

Related posts: Hippyshopper at the Sexy Green Car Show | Look out for Pret-a-Manger's cute little vans

Last week saw me pack up my various jute bags and head west for the first ever Sexy Green Car Show, held at the ever beautiful Eden Project. Now, I don't even own a car and get on just fine without one, but living in London this isn't a problem for me. For those more suited to the great outdoors, I know they are a godsend, so I jumped on the train and prepared to be dazzled.

What surprised me most about the show was how different my expectations of a 'green car' were from the reality. I'm not just talking about the look of them either; the show's name gave away the fact that they'd be stylish (I wasn't expecting C5s), and it's no secret that the hottest wheels on the road are now eco-friendly ones.

What was unexpected, was how green you can make a 'normal' car with just a few tweaks...

Electric vehicles are both sexier and more affordable with every passing day, meaning if you wait long enough you'll be able to get a free solar-powered transport that'll take you to the moon and back in more ways than one. Until then, however, you may want to content yourself by checking the The Top Ten electric vehicles you can buy right now (for the most part) list. Includes the Tesla Roadster, of course, because the Tesla Roadster is one of the hottest cars going, but also a bunch of cars you haven't heard of and will definitely want. [GT]

The Top Ten electric vehicles you can buy right now (for the most part)

More Transport & travel

If you're even slightly green-minded and live in London, the chances are you've heard of the G-Wiz already. Though it looks like it just rolled out of Noddy's Toy Town, the concept of the £7k car is very cool (and very cheap). It's got an electric engine which keeps going for the frankly amazing equivalent of 600mpg, it parks for free in Westminster bays and is exempt from London's Congestion Charge. Provided you supply the juice from a sustainable source, it's also completely green to run. Having borrowed one for a few days we reckon the car's a winner for a town runabout. The only real bummer - and it's a big one if you're big - is the cramped interior. We're only 5ft 9 inches tall and our head was scraping the roof. It's not much cop for out-of-town driving, either, being limited to a max speed of 40mph. Take a test drive and check it out for yourself.