As the threat of global warming increases, some car companies have created new, environmentally friendly cars that will soon be available. Some of the best concept cars were on display at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show in South Carolina.

Whether the car companies are just trying to make more money, they seem to have little choice but to help the environment now that the Supreme Court has ruled that the EPA has the right to control gas emissions.

Car sellers are finally adjusting to the reality of the future, and car buyers should also. It’s evident today that gas prices are only going to go up. It’s important for students who are looking to buy new cars to buy the right ones. With so many different types of “green” cars coming out today, it’s hard to tell whether they are really worth your money.

Until now, most people have only heard of the hybrid, which uses both electricity and gas and can get up to 60 miles a gallon. A hybrid costs $2,500 to $3,000 more than regular gasoline cars. Essentially, the car cuts gas spending in half. The NIU police started saving millions of dollars every year just by switching some of their regular cars to hybrids, according to a Northern Star article that ran last year.

Being able to completely avoid gas would be even nicer. Luckily, in 2008 the Suburu Re1 will be available, which runs completely on electricity. Although the electricity sources may become an issue, the company plans to produce 150 fast-charge stations to support an estimated 3,000 electric cars within five years. Another downside is its maximum speed, which is 62 mph. Although the legal limit in most states is 60 mph, most people find themselves doing well over 70 on the highway.

There’s also the Saab BioPower100, which runs on pure ethanol. This car is probably the last car you would want to buy if you’re trying to help the environment and save money. Not only are there few places to get ethanol, the fuel itself requires a lot of crops to make. There surely isn’t enough for everyone and chopping down more forests for farmland certainly wouldn’t help the environment.

The Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion uses a diesel engine. The car is capable of 55 miles per gallon and emits less pollution. This car comes with a hefty price tag, but buyers in Europe have already found it worth their money.

As well as cars that help protect the environment, there were other featured cars that seemed to do the opposite. The Toyota Tundra, which is the same maker of the hybrid Prius, was also featured during the show. Unlike the Prius, it gets only 12 miles per gallon.

It’s vehicles like the Tundra people need to stay away from. Since more environmentally friendly cars are coming out, people need to do their own research to find the best “green” car. People shouldn’t have to deal with these gas prices and chances are they aren’t going to change. So people should start changing their ways of transportation which will both save the environment and some money.