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I recently had the opportunity to catch some Discovery Channel, which is quite a rarity since we don’t have cable or dish at our house. One of the shows that I saw, Mean Green Machines, was actually a sneak peak episode of the series that will run on Discovery Networks new channel, Planet Green, set to launch June 4th. This is one sweet show, and it completely throws out the notion that green has to be serene.

The episode that I watched featured an electric motorcycle called Killacycle, which is aptly named. This is no ordinary bike- it is a lightning quick bullet that proves it belongs at the drag strip with it’s sub 8 second quarter mile. At over 500 horsepower and a 0-60 time of under 1 second, it thoroughly gives hope to those who want to be go green without giving up performance.

The bike’s lead designer, Bill Dube, from the University of Colorado, and his team took on the ultimate challenge: competing against the fuel-sucking counterpart ridden by motorcycle drag racing’s ‘first lady’, Connie Cohen. It wasn’t outwardly obvious, but there seemed to be tension between the two teams. Killacycle had a point to prove, and Cohen’s team probably wasn’t too keen on getting showed up by the eerily silent newcomer. I won’t spoil the outcome for you, since this episode will surely air again in the future, but its definitely a good watch!

Like I mentioned before in my post about the Tesla Roadster, one of the biggest concerns that a lot of people have, (myself included) with green is the supposed loss of performance. Sure we want to be green, but we don’t want our future to include putting around in slow, electric cars why we reminisce about the thrill of internal combustion engines. This show gives me more hope that this won’t be the case!

For all the attention paid to developing automobiles that will lessen our reliance on fossil fuels, one trend that perplexes me is the continued release of bigger and bigger cars. Ever since the energy shortages of the 70s brought a new generation of small cars, those vehicles have steadily grown since then, even with the recent surge in fuel prices.

I really noticed this when I sold off my 94 Accord for my current 04 Civic. I traded Honda’s midsize sedan for their compact car, yet didn’t give up much car at all. Compared to the new 2008 Accords, which are now considered a full-size sedan, mine was a lightweight (about 9 inches shorter and 400 pounds lighter).

Even in the face of the current issues, it is still apparent that bigger is often better when it comes to our automobiles. It makes some sense though, since the average size of Americans has dramatically increased as well. Still, do we really need our vehicles to be so big?

Thanks increases in engine technology, today’s engines are more efficient than ever. The problem is, those improvements in efficiency are negated as the engines and cars swell in size. I’d like to see what our current car models would get for mileage with smaller engines and bodies. The new models that come out every year don’t lose anything in efficiency, and they often increase it some, but they could be a heck of a lot more efficient if they would lay off on the growth hormone (our cars have gone the way of our baseball :()

Even with this long-term growth spurt we are in the midst of, hope remains. Automakers are rolling out subcompacts that are smaller than anything we’ve seen in a while. This is a good sign, and hopefully the increasing sales of them will send a message to the automakers that there are plenty of Americans who want a smaller car. However, even these models get beefed up for the US market. Whereas foreign Honda Fit’s are offered with 1.2 or 1.3 liter engines, ours comes standard with a 1.5. This is indeed tiny by American standards, but it shows that we still like ‘em bigger here, even our subcompacts.

How bout we see some 1.0’s released, reminiscent to the old Geo Metros and Ford Festivas (a bit more car wouldn’t hurt here though, for obvious safety reasons)? What do you think about this? Will higher and higher gas prices finally reverse this trend soon?

A small Norwegian car company, Think, is aiming to lead the future vehicle revolution with the development of the Think City. Every aspect of this little car is significantly different than the typical automobile. Perhaps Think can play an important role in the evolution of the automobile industry.

At first glance, the City seems to resemble the Smart fortwo. The similarities don’t run much deeper than that though. Whereas the Smart is powered by a traditional internal combustion engine, the City runs on 100% electric power. An overnight charge will give you around 124 miles of city driving, which is plenty considering the vehicle’s intended use (its top speed is only about 60 mph, pretty much limiting it to local driving). I think this really sets the Think apart from the Smart. Considering its size, the Smart is not a very efficient vehicle, and the Think is far more environmentally friendly (especially with Northern Europe’s wind power).

Drivers of the City will be able to connect with their cars in entirely different ways. Each car is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing owners to electronically stay informed on things such as the battery charge and the maintenance schedule.

Even the production and distribution of the vehicles is an innovative process. Think wants to eliminate the showroom and not build a vehicle until it’s ordered. Prospective buyers can check out a car through car-sharing networks before placing an order. As with any electric car, the battery is by far the most expensive ingredient. Think plans to lease the battery that comes with the car, and offer owners the chance to replace it when it starts to lose capacity.

Think doesn’t have near the budget of a GM or a Toyota, but they do have innovative ideas and creativity to boot. They’re also attracting investors who are drawn to their potential. Much like Tesla, they’ll run into the common issues of any small automaker, but with the current state of affairs (oil at $110 a barrel, among other things), I think they will be a hit. Follow the latest news on the City at Think’s site.

Who says environmentally friendly can’t be fast and fun? Tesla Motors definitely believes you can have both. The San Carlos, CA based company, with the help of Lotus Cars, developed a lean, mean, and green machine which can travel approximately 220 miles between charges. The eerily quiet Roadster accelerates from 0-60 in under 4 seconds and tops out around 135 mph, performance that normally requires a very thirsty internal combustion engine.

This is an awesome thing for the automobile industry. We have long had a certain fascination with fast cars (myself included), and it’s not about to go away anytime soon. I’m glad somebody with an environmentally conscious mindset noticed. I’ve often wondered what would happen to performance cars as we moved away from fossil fuels, but now Tesla has given me hope. Rather than ignoring the huge market for fast cars, Tesla is delivering.

As cool as the Roadster is, Tesla is a still a very new and small company. Only 650 vehicles are being produced for the 2008 model year and there are only a handful of service departments around the country for the $98,000 car. Since Tesla is such an infant company it’s still going to struggle immensely with high barriers to entry into such a tough field. Here’s hoping that they overcome their obstacles and make it big.

I hope other automakers are taking notice, and realize that efficient doesn’t have to be boring and slow. I have one request though. As wasteful as it is, there is something about hearing a supercar’s engine roar that gives me chills. I don’t know if I want a silent sports car. How about an option to artificially give it a mean-sounding growl on command?