Opening Shot

Here we are, with growing children (and, therefore, a growing cello) and nearly in the market for a new car. CelloMom is not optimistic about the planetary prospects for oil, and believes that gasoline prices will only go up in the near future. CelloMom believes in neither unnecessary expense (on gas, say), nor on unnecessary carbon emissions. And her transportation requirements are pretty modest, on the whole: the family car must be reasonably safe, reasonably reliable, have space for CelloMom, CelloDad, and two children, a 3/4 cello (soon enough to be a full-size cello). And it must be energy-efficient.

CelloMom's dad (I guess that makes him CelloGrandpa) was also in the market for a new car, and CelloMom helped him shop for one. The real reason why this was an eye-opening experience was not so much that the last time CelloMom bought a car was a decade ago, but that CelloGrandpa lives in the Netherlands.

We have always known that on average, the world runs on less gas per mile than we in the US, but this time CelloMom has had to dig through all the numbers, the technical specs, and the overall effect has been nothing short of astonishing. Oh my friends! there is a whole world of options out there in the way of energy efficient cars, that are not even for sale in the US.

CelloMom intends to tell you about those cars. Not to make you sad or mad that you can't buy them if you live in the US, but to inform you of the alternatives that are on the road right now, even if not your street. Knowledge is power. You may want to know: It is possible to get from A to B on less gasoline than your current car requires. Even leaving Mother Earth out of this, heaven knows our wallets would appreciate the break.