As the economy is slowly wrestled out of its torpor, an unfortunate side effect is that the artificially low fuel prices we have experienced-based upon an assumption of minimal economic growth-will begin to rise again. Any signs of even marginal growth by year's end or the beginning of next will likely be met by a re-visitation of $4-$5 per gallon gas. No good news goes unpunished, after all.

One way to short-circuit part of any rising fuel cost is to invest in what is likely the most fuel-efficient vehicle on earth next to a bicycle: an electric scooter. In principle, the vehicles have an amazing future, but they have been long-hampered by excessive weight, lackluster performance and limited range. Vectrix Corp., out of Middletown Rhode Island, has been producing electric vehicles since 1996, and aims to bust all these preconceived notions in one swoop with its VX-1. Equipped with a 3.7 kW motor (most electric scooters range between 500 and 1,000 kilowatts) powered by a nickel-metal-hydride battery, the VX-1 is capable of a 62 mph top cruise speed and a range of 35-55 miles. The former measurement is a particularly critical one, because with a top speed of only 25-30 mph, garden-variety electric scooters or mopeds are not only dangerous on most commuting thoroughfares, but potentially illegal.  Further, the VX-1 sports an aircraft aluminum chassis that is by far the most stable and well assembled structure we've ever seen in a scooter, and its 0-50 acceleration time of 6.8 seconds means that you can squirt right into traffic at a moment's notice. It also charges to 80% of capacity in just two hours; ideal for office trips both long and short.

At just north of $10,000, the VX-1 is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, though it is competitively priced when compared to other two-passenger highway scooters and even entry-level motorcycle cruisers such as the Harley-Davidson Sportster. Transportation costs average one penny a mile thereafter, so it's easy to see how the savings can pile up.