Commentary

Much to my family's dismay, the answer could easily be, I don't.

As I was putting together my EnergyRace plan, an internet business expert advised me that it doesn't matter how cool the site is or how compelling the topic, I need to offer something to visitors that they want.  She was thinking of programs like Product Red where you buy more expensive versions of products that have a donation to fight Aids bundled with the purchase price.

I didn't enthusiastically receive this advice because what she was suggesting was much more difficult than what my I had in mind.  What she was suggesting was a lot of work.  And I don't have Bono getting me meetings with Steve Jobs.  OK, let's be honest: selling green watches and cell phones didn't fit with my vision of being an environmental activist.

But here is the problem.  Offering something to people that they want and that at the same time has a greenness to it is what the climate change fight has to be about.

It's easy to sell a Prius to an environmentalist.  It's a car with a strong let's-fight-global-warming message.  The Prius has four doors and a hatchback, plenty of space, decent acceleration and doesn't require any change in driving habits.  It would be a good car even if it didn't get 50mpg.

But what about the people who drive SUVs and sporty cars (the majority of America), are we going to convince them to buy Prius's?  I don't think so.  Everything that I don’t like about SUVs is what makes them so popular: they are big and roomy, lots of passenger room, they look strong and tough (I don’t mind that part), the driver sits up high and has great visibility, they are fast.  It's John Wayne on wheels.

What about the hybrid SUVs already on the market?  They are doing pretty well but why aren't they more successful?  They are half-hearted tweeners.  They are insufficiently green to attract enough environmental types and at $8000+ more than the exact same non-hybrid SUV they are insufficiently extra cool to attract enough traditional SUV buyers.

What we need is the Prius of SUV's.  An SUV that isn't just a more expensive option of an existing SUV.  Here is one example.  The ZAP X crossover utility vehicle.  [See picture below.]

It's more exciting to look at than a Toyota Highlander or Ford Escape, it has over 600 hp, goes 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds, has 4WD, 4 doors and a hatchback, seats 5 and runs on electricity.  It goes 350 miles before needing a recharge and recharges in 10 minutes (or about the time it takes to take a pit-stop and have a Big Mac).

The ZAP is expected in 2008 and will be too expensive for mainstream buyers at $60,000.  But a mainstream green version of this is achievable: back off on the Daytona 500 performance, lower the price and raise the roofline. 

The climate change fight needs to go mainstream.  We need green SUVs, green electricity, green jet engines, green building materials.  If the buyer is not making a big sacrifice in functionality or behavior, then these green products will be record sellers and their manufacturers will be very successful.