Friday 6 August 2010 - 15 Mordad 2569

1. Tesla Roadster: By far the best of the bunch. Quick acceleration, good handling, lots of style. Strangers stare admirably when you drive by. The Tesla Motors dealership in Menlo Park, Calif. is one of the few in the world that seems to get tourists off the street. It can beat almost any car on the road. (See video.) The downside: I am the cheapest person in North America. I'd probably sell one of my kidneys for cash before I'd purchase a $109,000 car.

2. TIE: Nissan Leaf and Ford Focus. The all-electric economy cars coming from these two big manufacturers feel and drive…well…like economy cars. They accelerate moderately, fit five adults, and look like something you just picked up at the Hertz counter at the airport. But that's the good news: Nissan and Ford can produce electric cars that feel like regular cars but don't come with an outrageous price tag. Nissan's is expected to sell for close to $30,000 before federal and state incentives. Another big plus: these cars are also silent. The only noise is a low hum from the motor and the squeal of the tires.

The envy factor won't be off the charts, but strangers will still want to know all about it.