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Regenerative braking, which occurs whenever the driver lets up on the accelerator or applies the brakes steadily, handles 80 percent of all vehicle braking situations, minimizing the need for using the vehicle's hydraulic brakes. This lessens the wear on brake drums, rotors and pads.

FOR GROCERIES OR GREAT GETAWAYS

Whether you need transportation for running errands, for commuting to the neighborhood office, for highway travel or distance driving, there's an EV to meet your need.

Neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) are light-duty EVs designed primarily for streets, not highways. NEVs are fairly inexpensive vehicles, convenient to use, park and maintain, and are perfect as a family's second car. Most will travel speeds of 25 mph, and have room for two people and storage for groceries.

The NEV is usually classified as a low-speed vehicle, and is federally approved to be driven on community streets with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less. Thirty-five states recognize this low-speed vehicle classification of EVs.

"People who don't know how to use an NEV think it's not for them," says Global Electric Motorcars President Ken Montler. "Yet once they ride in one, they can't stop thinking about how it can be used."

The GEM (Global Electric Motorcar, owned by DaimlerChrysler Co.) is a four-passenger, front-wheel drive, street-legal NEV. It has a 25 mph top speed, a range of 30 to 40 miles, stands as tall as a minivan and has an optional weather enclosure to protect against rain, wind and sun. It comes with a 5-horsepower direct-current motor, a 48- or 72-volt flooded-cell, lead-acid battery pack, and an onboard 110-volt overnight charger. Expect to pay about $8,350 for a GEM [(888) 871 4367; www.gemcar.com ].

Ford Motor Company's Th!nk Neighbor, intended for short neighborhood commutes, has both two- and four-passenger options, with a payload up to 900 pounds. It can travel about 30 miles on one charge, with a top speed of 25 mph. The Neighbor starts at about $6,495 for the two-seater model [(800) 252-4221; www.thinkmobility.com ].

Eugene, Oregon-based Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Company makes the Gizmo, a one-seat, fully enclosed commuter vehicle that can travel up to 45 miles on a single charge, and cruise at speeds up to 40 mph. You can pick up a Gizmo for about $8,650 [(541) 687-5939; www. nevco. com].

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