Car dealerships are looking into selling greener models, but it may still be some time before they are able to offer them to clients on the Island.

With Bermuda's small size and low speed limit, coupled with the world's soaring oil prices many believe the Island would be perfect for environmentally friendly cars. With more than 2,300 vehicles per square mile in Bermuda, Greenrock president Andrew Vaucrosson believes electric cars are the best option for the Island.

While he said hybrid cars were more energy efficient than regular gas guzzlers he said that the small size and lower reliance on fossil fuels made the electric car preferable.

He said "which is 'better' is a matter of personal taste. If you need to travel long distances on a regular basis, either would be a good choice. For shorter distances, which are common in Bermuda, a battery EV is still the ideal choice.

"Remember that a true electric car can be filled up by plugging into an electric outlet. This electricity can be from the grid, or from a local source such as solar, wind or geothermal generated power.

"With advancements in technology, with growing production of EVs by small and large manufacturers, and with the growing public concern about global warming, Bermuda needs to wake up and start controlling its dependency on fossil fuels.

"Another incentive is that electric cars are duty free Mr. Vaucrosson said. The HWPGroup is looking into electric cars as well as deisle cars and hybrids. Currently Tyota is the only manufacturer that makes hybrids, but others are working around the clock to produce one as well.

President Jonathan Brewin said:"We have had a lot of customers coming in asking about environmentally friendly cars. We've been researching electric cars for the last year and I am hoping that something will be finalised within a couple of months."Mr. Brewin declined to comment on what makes of electric cars the company were looking at.

"We began looking into it because of consumer demand and we felt it was something we should be doing," he said. "It is just coincidental that it is happening when we have been going through a period of huge oil price increases."

Randy Wells, sales manager at Eurocar Ltd., said the company was interested but its hands were tied as extensive research was still being done by Renault in Israel and South Africa.

He added: "Those tests can take up to two years."

And Bermuda Motors' general manager Michael Butler said he has been actively looking into the Toyota Prius, a hybrid electric mid-size car developed. This means the vehicle can be propelled by gasoline and/or electric power. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the 2008 Prius is the most fuel-efficient car sold in the US.

"We are definitely still looking into it," he said. "We have had a number of customers asking us when they can buy it here."

At the moment Toyota is concentrating on the bigger markets. They don't see it as cost efficient to concentrate on the smaller markets like Bermuda because it is not just shipping down the cars, there is also the technology behind it that goes into repairs and so on."