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 has been the hybrid Toyota Prius, which gets 50 mpg. But new electric cars like the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt get the equivalent of 100 mpg. The least fuel-efficient 2011 SUVs, the Chevrolet Suburban and the GMC Yukon, get about 12.

If you swapped that gas-guzzler for an electric car, it would be like shaving more than $3,000 from your annual fuel bill. The cost of an average commute in a Prius is about $1 at current gas prices, versus about $4 in one of those SUVs. In other words, you'll go almost four times as far on a tank of gas in the Prius, so the $3.19 you pay to fill your SUV is like paying $0.80 in the Prius.

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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