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Instead of a fuel tank, batteries store the energy that powers the car. Drivers of cars with internal combustion engines choose what oil company they want to dole their dollars to, but electric vehicle drivers determine the source of their energy: Some choose utility-supplied electricity, while others tap into homescale power plants, such as wind machines, solar-electric arrays or small hydroelectric systems. The EV then becomes not only a zero-emission, but a zero pollution vehicle when renewable energy systems are used for power.

Operating an EV is virtually identical to driving a car with an engine. There are some differences in the dash controls, meters and other hardware, but no more than someone might discover in the features of any other new car model. The most important controls, such as the steering, brakes, accelerator pedal and gears (if any), are identical to those found in a car with an engine.

WHY DRIVE ELECTRIC?

Virtually maintenance-free. With only three moving parts in the electric motor (one armature and two bearings), electric propulsion systems are designed to last for two decades or more. Few moving parts means few things to repair, unlike gasoline-powered vehicles. The only maintenance required for an electric propulsion system consists of checking the battery pack every six months. And after two to five years of use, the battery pack will need to be replaced. (See "Banking on Batteries," .)

It's cheaper. Even with the need to recycle the vehicle's battery bank every few years, the cost to operate an EV is lower than driving a car with an internal combustion engine (see "Comparing Gas and Electric," ). The average full-size EV has a 15 kilowatt-hour (kwh) battery pack, which at 8 cents/kwh costs $1.20 to fully recharge for a range of 45 miles. Mile for mile, EV drivers pay less.

Under the Qualified Electric Vehicle Credit (Internal Revenue Service Form 8834; www.irs.gov ), current federal tax incentives offer up to a 10 percent credit based on the cost of an EV, up to $4,000 for each vehicle. Hybrid-electric vehicles, which are not powered primarily by electric motors, do not qualify, but pan of the cost of these vehicles may be eligible for a clean-fuel-vehicle deduction up to $2,000. IRS Publication 535 details the criteria for taking a credit on hybrid-electric vehicles. Your state may also offer tax incentives: Visit the Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Vehicle Web site at www.fleets.doe.gov and click on the "Incentives and Laws" link. California recently enacted a tax credit of up to $9,000 for new electric vehicles, the most proactive state measure to date.

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