Bikes & Cars...

Why pay $4 a gallon, even when a gallon can get you nearly 100 miles on a scooter, when you can skip the gas station altogether? These little scooters cost literally pennies to charge fully and can get you around town, though not real fast and not real far -- yet. The technology is catching up fast, and these scooters have made some surprising converts.

Again, prices and stats are shopping guidelines, not the gospel. Check with retailers or manufacturers for exact numbers.

• Vectrix: This super-stylish scooter was introduced just last fall, but the company has already sold half its inventory, including one to GM VP Bob Lutz. And that was during the winter, with an $11,000 price tag. The company has since dropped the price but not the performance. A full charge at a reasonable around-town speed of 35-40 mph will get you about 50 miles. Max speed 60 mph, max range 65 miles, $8,795.

• Zap Zapino: This EV scooter could pass for a traditional gasser, but for the fact that it's silent and has zero emissions. Except for the smaller tires, the Zapino actually looks quite a bit like a Kymco People. Zap's promises for the full-sized auto market seem to be a bit sketchy, but this little scooter is in showrooms, ready to drive home for less than a new Vespa. Max speed 30 mph, max range 30 miles, $3,495.

• Bravo: If you like the look of the Honda Metropolitan but want to send a message to Big Oil, the EVT-168 is the cutie for you. Like most of these models, the Bravo plugs into a regular household outlet. Last year, this scooter got a motor upgrade for a little more power and effieciency. Max speed 35 mph, max range 30 miles, $2,995.

• Zero X: This isn't officially a scooter -- okay, it's not really a scooter at all -- but it was way too cool to not mention. The Zero X is a full-power electric dirtbike that uses cutting-edge lithium-ion batteries. Besides the obvious advantages of no emissions and minimal fuel cost at less than a penny a mile, this dirtbike can travel in wilderness areas that have restrictions on sound. Max speed 55 mph, max range 40 miles, $7,450.

• Enertia: One more step up from the basic scooter sits the Enertia, from the people who brought you the open sports car the Ariel Atom. The bike uses lithium iron phosphate batteries to propel the carbon-fiber bike body. Brammo, the bike's builder, has received NHTSA/DOT approval for the Enertia and plans to have it in the hands of customers later this summer or early fall. Max speed 50 mph, max range 45 miles, $11,995.

Photo by Vectrix.