Hollywood Chooses Electric Cars

By Damien Reid

The cream of Hollywoods A-list stars have swapped their V8 Limos and Hummer all-terrain off-roaders for the latest must-have in Tinsletown the diminutive Toyota Prius petrol/electric hybrid.

In keeping with the political correctness that goes with being a silver screen celebrity, stars including Cameron Diaz, Leonardo di Caprio Anthony Hopkins and David Duchovny have been spotted driving themselves up to red carpet launches in the Corolla-sized four-seater sedan.

Charlies Angel star, Diaz was recently on Jay Lenos NBC Tonight Show and told the self-confessed car fanatic host that her Prius gets 52 miles per gallon (5.47 L/100kms)

Isnt that exciting? Diaz asked Leno. The craziest thing is, youre sitting at the stop sign and you cant hear anything. And youre like: Oh my God! My car has died! But you know what? Its just like a golf cart.

Local news reports claim di Caprio liked his Prius so much he bought another three for his mother, father and stepmother.

My family and I drive them all over Los Angeles. I cant find any downside, he told a local paper.

The hybrid combination of using an electric motor to assist a small petrol engine dramatically reduces not only petrol consumption but the greenhouse emissions from the tail pipe by up to 50 per cent. While the steep purchase price (approximately double that of comparable small car) makes it uneconomical in terms of fuel cost savings; for the rich and famous its about more than the hip-pocket.

Celebrities just love them, the new-car manager of the local Toyota dealer in Santa Monica said.

We are the number one Prius dealer in the United States with demand almost doubling in the past few months, he said.

While Toyota expects to sell more than 24,000 Prius cars in the US market alone this year, the New South Wales State Government has just placed the Worlds second largest order with its purchase of 200 cars to add to the 22 already on its environmental fleet.

This financial year we are ordering 200 Prius - second only to New York City - which has placed an order for 300, NSW Premier, Bob Carr said on National Tree Day.

According to the NSW Premier, opting for the Prius over larger six-cylinder cars like the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon covering an average 40,000 kms per year at 90.9 cents per litre for ULP should equate to a $550,000 saving over two years and a 1400 tonne reduction in emissions.

We congratulate the NSW Government on its decision to order 200 Prius, Planet Ark founder Jon Dee said.

Its good to see that a State Government is walking the talk on the environment and we encourage other governments and public authorities to follow, he said.

Over 100,000 hybrid vehicles have been sold worldwide since 1997 with the Honda Insight being the first petrol/electric hybrid car to be sold in Australia, followed by the Prius in October 2001.

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