According to Popular Science:

• The Toyota version of cherry sage absorbs greenhouse gases through its leaves
• The Toyota version of gardenia acts as a humidifier to cool the factory grounds and reduce the need for a/c
• The Toyota grass, which used to need mowing three times a year, now only needs a trim once a year

Is Toyota harnessing the power of science for good or evil? Grow your opinions in the comments.

While the Toyota Prius gets the Aerius treatment at the official Toyota booth, there’s a way cooler, totally pimped version at the other end of the “Making Green Cool Zone” at the 2009 SEMA show in Las Vegas. Like all the best supercars, the doors on this Prius up, and the gold-and-green flake paint job lets people know you care about looking styling as much as you care about the environment.

Stay tuned for more posts from SEMA, including more on the Prius Aerius and announcements from the X Prize people.

The other thing to note about the list is that out of ten cars with top fuel economy, only one is not a hybrid, the Smart ForTwo. If you take a gander at the top two cars in each category at FuelEconomy.gov, the fuel type varies a bit more, with Audi and Volkswagen scoring well with their diesel wagons.

1. Toyota Prius Hybrid: 51/48
2. Ford Fusion Hybrid: 41/36
3. Honda Civic Hybrid: 40/45
4. Honda Insight Hybrid: 40/43
5. Lexus 250h Hybrid: 35/34
6. Nissan Altima Hybrid: 35/33
7. Ford Escape Hybrid: 34/31
8. Smart ForTwo: 33/41
9. Toyota Camry Hybrid: 33/34
10. Lexus RX450h Hybrid: 32/28

Let’s start with what you want to know about the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid: I drove it for one week on city streets and freeways, in traffic and on clear stretches, and got a combined 37 mpg.

There are two things I love about the Fusion Hybrid: the LCD instrument cluster and its car-like appearance. The instrument cluster is as addictive as a video game — even though its designers were asked to tone done the gamey-ness of it. A green box to the left of the speedometer pops up when driving to let you know when you’re using EV mode, and I was obsessed with driving under battery power alone as much as possible. Not just for the good of the environment, mind you. Eco-friendly driving earns you a bushel of leaves over on the right side of the LCD screen. I wanted leaves! More leaves!

The exterior styling might not strike some people as anything to write home about, which is exactly why I like it. Personally, I prefer a bit more adventuresome designs, but the Fusion Hybrid looks like a regular car, not a lunar lander. This is a four-door sedan my mom, or even my grandmother, would feel comfortable tooling around in. The change from electric to gas power and back again is seamless, as is the start/stop technology.

When you turn the car off, the LCD readouts slide behind the speedometer and a trip summary pops up so you can see the number of leaves you earned and get detailed numbers on your fuel consumption. I delighted in telling everyone things like, “I drove all the way here — 12.5 miles — and only used .2 gallons of gas.” Everyone I told this to suppressed an eye roll, which I appreciate.

2010 Ford Fusion Specs

• 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine
• CVT transmission (no gears)
• Full hybrid with regenerative braking
• EPA fuel economy: 41 mpg city, 36 mpg highway
• My fuel economy: 37 mpg combined
• MSRP as tested: $27,270

This car was provided for review by the manufacturer at no cost to the reviewer.

Green Car Journal has released the names of the five cars that made its short list for 2010 Green Car of the Year. The winner will be announced at the L.A. Auto Show in early December.

Without further ado, here are the nominees:

• Audi A3 TDI (clean diesel)
• Honda Insight (hybrid)
• Mercury Milan Hybrid
• Toyota Prius (hybrid)
• Volkswagen Golf TDI (hybrid)

I’ve driven the Honda Insight and VW Jetta TDI (not the new-to-the-U.S. Golf), and reviewed them for Good Green Cars. The Mercury Milan Hybrid is a sister car to the Ford Fusion Hybrid, which I’m testing this week and will write up in a day or two.

What do you think, GoodGreenCars.com readers? Which one would get your vote? Or would you vote for a different car entirely? Leave your nominees in the comments.

Photo by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

The big, bad Peterbilt will be used to haul furniture and office supplies around the Washington, D.C., metro area with 30% better fuel efficiency and reduced tailpipe emissions. The truck is built in Texas, making it a home-grown green-power win. The plan, according to Daniel Beard, Chief Administrative Officer for the House, is to replace their aging fleet with newer, low-emissions vehicles.

The Volkswagen L1 diesel hybrid concept created quite a stir at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show — which despite a slew of high-end exotics was more green than ever this year. Volkswagen says its one-liter concept car would be the most fuel-efficient car in the world. Actually, they say it is the most fuel-efficient car in the world, but I’ll withhold that title until the car leaves the “study” stage and reaches production.

The L1 is light, thanks to a carbon fiber body; compact like a VW Fox, and short, with a height similar to the low-slung Lamborghini Murcielago, according to Volkswagen. The hybrid has an electric motor and a teeny diesel-powered engine, plus start-stop technology for further fuel savings.

The VW L1 Concept by the numbers:

• 837 pounds
• 12.5 feet long; 3.75 feet wide
• 170 mpg combined

In advance of its German debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Fisker announced that its Fisker Karma will have lower carbon dioxide emissions than any other production car on the street today. The company also released estimated fuel cost for the plug-in hybrid.

Here are the Fisker Karma numbers you need to know:

• 67 miles per gallon
• 83 grams of CO2 per km
• 3 cents per mile in Stealth (electric-only) mode
• 7 cents per mile in Stealth and Sport (gasoline) mode
• 2010 launch date

First, it’s not rare metals that are involved; it’s rare earth elements, which aren’t that rare. These elements, of which there are 15 on the periodic table, aren’t often found by themselves in nature. They’re usually in other elements, and it’s these other elements which are scarce. The rare earth elements are pretty common in trace amounts throughout the earth’s core, according to Popular Science.

Which rare earth elements are we talking about? Here’s a list:

• Neodymium: part of an alloy used in magnets in electric motors in hybrid cars and wind turbines
• Terbium and dysprosium: used to keep the neodymium magnetic at high temperatures
• Lanthanum: used in hybrid car batteries

Most of these metals currently come from China, though California and Canada are looking into mining for them as well. What’s a well-meaning green driver to do? Remember that everything comes from somewhere, and think before you ditch the old for the shiny and new.

Automotive News, and industry publication, recently did a rundown of the upcoming cars from Japanese manufacturers. Here’s the latest in green cars from the Land of the Rising Sun (and Rising Fuel Economy):

Honda:

• Rumor has it that an electric vehicle from the company could be unveiled this fall and see production in 2015
• The hybrid version of the Honda Fit has been canceled
• The CR-Z hybrid sport coupe will go on sale in Spring 2010

Infiniti:

• The company may introduce a diesel engine in the U.S., like it sells in Europe
• We’ll see an Infiniti hybrid in 2 or 3 years,probably in an M-class sedan

Lexus:

• The Lexus HS dedicated hybrid debuted in January this year, and goes on sale this month
• A hybrid version of the ES will be added in 2012

Mitsubishi:

• The U.S. will get the I-MiEV electric car in 2012
• A larger I-MiEV II with more cargo space could debut in 2012, too

Nissan:

• “By the middle of the next decade, or 2015, something on the order of 10% of our volume will be EV,” said Brian Carolin, senior VP for North American sales and marketing
• The all-electric Leaf will go on sale in 2011, and be built in the U.S. in 2012
• The 370Z sports car might get a hybrid version for 2012

Scion:

• 2011 iQ: The tiny, gasoline-powered car is expected to get 60 mpg and go on sale in the U.S. in fall 2010

Subaru:

• Has neither a hybrid nor a clean diesel in its plans for the next few years

Toyota:

• A two-door Prius could see production in 2012 or 2013
• Toyota is considering hybrid versions of the Yaris, Avalon, and Corolla
• The Sienna minivan will get a hybrid version in 2012

Image of the I-MiEV by Kristen Hall-Geisler.