The Next Status Vehicle: The Solar Prius

If you must drive, replace your gas guzzler with a fuel-efficient model. The most fuel-efficient car, several years running, is the hybrid Toyota Prius, which gets 50 mpg. The least fuel-efficient 2009 SUV, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, gets about 13.

In other words, you'll go almost four times as far on a tank of gas in the Prius, so the $2.75 you pay to fill your SUV is like paying $0.72 in the Prius. You can go three times as far per gallon even in an affordable fuel-efficient car like the 2010 Smart ForTwo ($11,900), pictured here, which gets 36 mpg. (If you're worried about Prius safety, or regenerative braking in hybrids.)

If you're buying a new car, consult The Daily Green's list of the most fuel-efficient cars and SUVs, or invest in a reliable fuel-efficient used car.

Photo: Toyota

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High-end 2009 Toyota Prius models will feature a new energy-conservation feature that will tell passers-by at a glance that its driver is serious about going green: Solar panels.

The cars' solar arrays, according to unconfirmed reports, will produce enough electricity to keep the air conditioner running, eliminating a summertime drain on the gas tank (or battery).

Already the most fuel-efficient 2008 vehicle being sold on American car lots, the hybrid gas-electric Prius would get even more efficient.

Perhaps as importantly for the status-conscious, the solar arrays should be a very visible symbol of not only a car-buyer's eco-savvy, but his or her wealth, as well. In an era of $4-plus gas, that could add a new social strata above the SUV drivers who have watched their vehicles lose cultural currency quickly in the past few months.

For less glamorous tips for saving gas, see The Daily Green's 10 Ways to Save 20% on Gas Every Day or How to Spend $1 Per Gallon (or Less) on Gas.

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