While LeaseTrader.com can’t comment on the latest cell phone fad, the nation’s most popular car leasing marketplace may have interesting insight into the potential Prius to Volt switch. While experts at LeaseTrader.com anticipated a handful of questions from Prius lessees inquiring about escaping their lease contract to pursue the new Chevy Volt, the company thus far has received far more calls than it originally anticipated.

“No doubt about it, the Chevy Volt has been the star of the auto world as we head into 2011 and this has not been lost on the average driver,” said Sergio Stiberman, CEO and founder of LeaseTrader.com. “GM has done a fantastic turnaround job with the company and the excitement about the Volt continues to grow headlined by many naming it the 2011 ‘Car of the Year.’”

Toyota Prius lessees interested in getting out of their lease contract to pursue a different hybrid such as the Volt would normally face thousands of dollars in early contract termination penalties. But LeaseTrader.com allows lessees to transfer the remaining portion of their contract to a third-party individual in the market for a short-term lease. The “seller” avoids the termination fees and the “buyer” avoids a down payment.

It costs $325 to break an AT&T iPhone contract in favor of Verizon. Toyota Prius lessees would pay less, a total of $238, to transfer out of their Prius or any other vehicle contract to avoid penalties through the LeaseTrader.com marketplace. LeaseTrader.com experts point out the average monthly lease payment on a Prius today is in the low to mid $200s, down from the $500s just a couple years ago.

About LeaseTrader.com
LeaseTrader.com, the most recognized name in car leasing, easily and affordably matches car shoppers with individuals looking to escape their auto lease. Visit www.LeaseTrader.com, on Twitter @Lease_Trader, or call 800-770-0207.

The day before 100% Electric cars start arriving in showrooms, a new documentary “What is the Electric Car?” will have its Hollywood premiere to answer the many questions millions have about electric cars. This timely feature film contains insightful interviews with key manufacturers, vendors, drivers & pioneers in the Electric Vehicle (EV) industry predicted to explode over the next 12 months and create thousands of jobs as new cars like the Chevy VOLT, Nissan Leaf start arriving in showrooms this week joining the dozen other EV offerings now available or taking reservations for 2011 deliveries. Viewers will likely consider these new EVs (which plug into a 110 outlet & don’t use a drop of gasoline or oil), before purchasing their next car. Warren Buffet has quoted: “All cars will be electric in 20 years”.

The Hollywood premiere of the film will be held at the historic Lloyd E.
Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian on December 14th. “Thanks to our friends at the North American Int’l. Auto Show and many auto sponsors (including Nissan, Chevrolet, and ZAP), we have over ten (10) different electric vehicles on display which many of our guests attending the premiere will get to see for the very first time.” remarks Producer Cam MacGregor. Many celebrities have also contributed to this “green themed”, enlightening film including Jay Leno (who let producers in his garage to film him driving his 1908 Baker Electric), Ed Begley, Jr. (filmed at the ‘Go Green Expo’), and “Baywatch” star and EV activist Alexandra Paul who hosted a behind the scenes chapter for the DVD. Renowned Artist Romero Britto (www.Britto.com) spent the last 2 months painting the world’s 1st BRITTO TM electric car (a Tango T-600 Commuter Car), and Chábeli Iglesias just signed on to host the film’s Spanish language version of the film which will be available for Latin American and Spanish speaking markets early next year.

Nemours Marketing President Scott duPont (also the Host & Producer of the film) developed a unique marketing strategy, which Robin Rowe (President of MovieEditor.com) found brilliant. In addition to soon releasing the film through traditional DVD, TV, and V.O.D. outlets, duPont’s company has partnered with EV companies and individual car dealers like Santa Monica Nissan to sponsor these screenings (eliminating the enormous P & A marketing budget to screen in theaters). Nemours saves $10,000 – $25,000 of traditional marketing expenses for each screening, while the car dealers invite hundreds of potential customers to see what Bruce Gast (President, ElectricCars.com) calls a “75 minute infomercial for electric cars”.

Premiere attendees on December 14th will be treated to a cavalcade of all-electric cars dropping guests off at the “green” carpet in addition to the impressive display of EVs in the Egyptian courtyard with many of the electric cars “starring” in the film including the rare appearance of the Progressive Automotive X-Prize top prize winner, the E-Tracer. After the screening, the audience will be treated to a Q & A and a FREE electric car giveaway to one of the film’s lucky FaceBook friends.

The film has already screened in several cities including the Colony Theater in Miami Beach where the BrittoTM Tango was unveiled on stage as the end credits rolled. Producers are in the planning stages of at least a dozen other cities including Santa Rosa & San Francisco before taking the film back east to New York and then on to Barcelona, Spain. Producer Cam MacGregor predicted there would be a need for this film a year ago, but with the film’s unveiling the night before electric cars start arriving in showrooms, he predicts: “It will be like Christmas Eve. Millions of people are going to want to look under the tree!”

The film was shot on locations around Michigan, California, Florida, including Jay Leno’s Garage, the Petersen Automotive Museum, the Int’l.

Changing world, changing drivers
The fact is that the whole idea of driving has changed a lot. Gridlock, fuel and on road costs, pollution, and the chronic inefficiency of “normal” driving have left a scar on the psyche of even non-Green drivers, but the Green Drivers have taken it many steps further.
The economics of owning a car have changed enormously, and not for the better. This is “user pays” translated into “loser pays”, and the loser is always the consumer. Green drivers, who are also Green consumers, won’t tolerate that scenario. The car has to be economically acceptable, and since Greens don’t care about status symbols or other forms of smoke and mirrors, that makes them demanding consumers.

The truly Green car is:
• At the very least a hybrid
• Fuel efficient
• Cost effective
• Clean as it can get
• Good on road performer
• Reliable mechanically
• Easy to service
• Cheap purchase cost

Not many cars can meet this very stringent, and totally uncompromising series of demands, and that’s been one of the big forces in the market. The Green driver won’t buy a gas-inhaling SUV, because it’s almost the exact opposite of these criteria. The Green driver also obviously saves a fortune by not buying such monsters, and it’s one of the reasons many drivers agree with the basic Green economics.

The market generally is sick of paying through the nose for anything and everything. Cars, in particular, are now costing about as much as a child to operate, and that very expensive comparison isn’t much appreciated by parents trying to support their kids, not car manufacturers.

The car industry hasn’t been exactly helping itself by telling consumers that cars are “economic to run” when a week actually driving one proves the exact opposite. The fact that anyone on Earth can now just get online and get better information than the car dealers have should also have been considered.

The extraordinarily bad market strategies of US car manufacturers are testimonies to a total lack of comprehension of the realities of driving. Big, expensive, hard to maneuver in heavy traffic vehicles went out of fashion with consumers long ago. It was the fact that the industry took 10 years to notice that was the problem.

This is where the Green drivers originated, and they’ve stuck to their criteria as much as possible. The sheer ease of market penetration by relatively cheap cars which are economic to put on the road is an obvious sign of market sentiment. Everything, from the car insurance quote to the wheel alignment is now costed and assessed. The market should wake up, for once, to where this market wants to go.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the oil from one oil change can contaminate 1 million gallons of fresh water (a year’s supply for 50 people)(2), and the use of reconditioned parts not only saves valuable environmental resources, it can save car owners 50 percent or more compared to the cost of purchasing new parts(3).

To help car owners ‘green’ their auto repair and maintenance, AutoMD.com’s team of mechanics identified some common DIY repair and maintenance activities and applied a simple formula: the “Four R’s”: Recycle – Repair – Re-use – and Be Resource-Friendly.

AutoMD.com’s Green Auto Repair and Maintenance Tips:

1. RECYCLE OIL, ANTIFREEZE AND PARTS

If all the oil from American do-it-yourself oil changers were recycled, it would be enough to supply more than 50 million cars a year(2). Oil, antifreeze and parts can usually be recycled at your local repair shop. Click here for more info: http://www.automd.com/About-AutoMD/Press/9-28-2010/

2. REPAIR, DON’T REPLACE

Extending the life of your vehicle and its body parts through proper repair and maintenance can help save environmental resources, prevent costly repairs and conserve consumer dollars. Click here for more info: http://www.automd.com/About-AutoMD/Press/9-28-2010/

3. RE-USE PARTS AND SUPPLIES

Rebuilt/remanufactured and used parts are easily available and can cost 50% less than buying new parts, while also reducing the amount of raw materials consumed and harmful emissions generated. Click here for more info: http://www.automd.com/About-AutoMD/Press/9-28-2010/

4. BE RESOURCE-FRIENDLY WHEN YOU CLEAN

Chances are that whatever you clean your vehicle with could end up in the storm drain and our streams, rivers, or oceans, so be conscious of the products you are using, or better still, use a commercial car wash, which generally uses much less water. Click here for more info: http://www.automd.com/About-AutoMD/Press/9-28-2010/

5. USE RESOURCE-FRIENDLY PARTS AND PRODUCTS

Look at options for greener or longer-life products, such as extended life antifreeze and organic brake pads. Click here for more info: http://www.automd.com/About-AutoMD/Press/9-28-2010/

“While many auto repair shops have instituted green practices in their shops and have been recycling parts and oil for years, there is little information available to help the average DIY car owner keep his/her maintenance and repair work environmentally friendly,” said AutoMD.com President Shane Evangelist. “At AutoMD.com we want to empower car owners with information to help them ‘green’ their auto repair, not only to help save valuable environmental resources and prevent a polluted water supply but, importantly in this economic climate, to help them save significant dollars.”

About AutoMD.com

AutoMD.com™ (www.automd.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of US Auto Parts Network, Inc., (Nasdaq:PRTS), is the most comprehensive and unbiased free online automotive repair resource designed to empower car owners with the best way to repair their vehicles. Backed by a team of automotive data specialists and certified auto mechanics who are advocates for the car owner, AutoMD.com allows both car owners and DIYers to 1. Troubleshoot car problems, 2. Know how much auto repairs should cost, 3. Understand the steps needed and the time it should take with How-to Auto Repair guides, 4. Find the right local auto repair shop at the right price for their issue, and 5. Get auto repair questions answered by the AutoMD.com community. AutoMD.com was named Best Automotive Website in the 8th annual American Business Awards, also known as the as the Stevie® Awards.

Green driving essentials

Green drivers are a sort of mobile expo of the emerging market in embryonic form. Their needs are quite different from the conventional driver. Even their relationship with their car is different. They’re extremely conscious of how their cars operate, and don’t drive and consume on auto pilot like conventional drivers.

The car, to a Green driver, isn’t a status symbol. It’s something much more important, a personal statement. The car also isn’t some sort of “hormonal replacement”, like a grunt car with massive gas guzzling potentials and a noisy, show-off sound to it. Green drivers don’t like noise pollution, either, so they don’t buy sound systems with more power going through the woofers than the engines.

Urban Green drivers don’t particularly need sports cars or other high priced luxuries which really don’t even fit the concept of being a Green driver. A Green limo or sports model is more likely to be a novelty, but also a statement. Green drivers need functional cars, preferably with personalized, eco-friendly add-ons and plug-ins.

There are a lot of good economic reasons for the Green driver’s strong preferences, and they’re category killers:

• The realities and economics of being on the road: Green cars are by definition cheaper to run in terms of on road costs. A Green driver will spend roughly a quarter, at most, of the costs of a petrol driver.
• Traffic congestion: Green cars are far more cost efficient in a slow traffic stream.
• The economic environment: The fact is that wages and budgets are always behind prices. Green cars can cut costs and reduce cash outlays on a daily basis.

If in reading the previous paragraphs you had a vision of a lot of standard car culture icons suddenly becoming a lot less remunerative, you’re right. The industry is likely to find itself obsolete and overloaded with unsalable goods, if it’s not careful.

This is a new culture, and it will take time to develop. However, the indications are that technology, rent a car models, and public “U Drive” transport will add a lot to the Green driver’s repertoire, and soon. Don’t be too surprised if you find your car insurance quotes asking for an estimate of your kwh, before too long.

Why the extra cost?
There have been a number of reasons put forward for the additional cost, but the most obvious explanation is the additional extras to your policy, with the following eco-insurers making the following promises to their customers:

• Co-operative car insurance- vow to offset 20% of the C02 emission you make if you take up a policy with them
• Gogreencompare.com- will offset 1.5 tons of C02 emissions with every single policy made
• ibuyeco- donate £5 from every policy to an environmental charity

With car manufacturers, the reason for the additional cost of an environmentally friendly model is the obvious savings in terms of fuel usage and the access to high end technology. However, the difference between the Ford Fiesta model and the less practical Mitsubishi i-Miev (electric model) is a staggering $9,000. This begs the question of whether you can be environmentally friendly at the same time as being cost effective.

Can I be green and cost effective?
The simple answer to this is yes. The before mentioned fuel cost savings is the most obvious reason for this, with the i-Miev electric model capable of doing a 90 mile journey on a charge costing approximately $1.48. That’s a total cost of $222.61 if you were doing 12,000 miles a year in an i-Miev, while the same mileage in a 1.25 Ford Fiesta would cost you $1,935.60. That’s a total saving of $1712.99 per year on an annual mileage of 12,000. Suddenly that $9,000 price difference doesn’t look quite so big.

That isn’t the only place you can save money though, with a number of programmes introduced by government to reduce costs for green motorists, such as tax breaks. Also, despite the additional cost of going with an eco-insurer, most conventional insurance companies will actually offer a discount to green motorists according to further research by Moneysupermarket.

What are my options?
There are an increasing number of environmental cars entering the marketplace as manufacturers realise the importance of going green.

In the electric car market alongside the Mitsubishi i-Miev, a number of other options are going to be becoming available in the near future including:

• Nissan Leaf
• Peugeot ion
• Citroen C1 evie
• Fiat Micro-vett 500
• Chevrolet Equinox AMP

However, electric cars aren’t the only option with the number of hybrid vehicles becoming available constantly expanding and becoming more affordable. BMW and Honda meanwhile are investing increasing resources into hydrogen fuelled cars which they believe are the most realistic option for future propulsion.

Therefore, the advantages of environmentally friendly car ownership are actually becoming more compelling all the time as fuel prices continue to rise and tax breaks for environmental motorists become more apparent. It is therefore possible to be cost effective and green and why more people haven’t realised this yet is a mystery.

57% of those surveyed revealed an interest in purchasing an alternative fuel vehicle in the next 12-months. Although economics was a leading factor in the purchase of an alternative fuel vehicle with over 50% reporting ‘Economics, better gas mileage’ as the reason for purchasing a green car, being ‘environmentally responsible’ and ‘reducing dependence on foreign oil’ combined was the reason cited by 39% of the respondents.

The report reveals strong green vehicle purchasing trends – and more susceptibility to environmental concerns – in the next generation of car buyers: one out of four under 25 years of age report they are definitely considering purchasing an alternative fuel or high MPG vehicle in the next twelve months – and over half said that environmental factors impacted their likelihood to buy a green vehicle.

“Consumers are interested in being fiscally and environmentally responsible when considering their next vehicle purchase,” said Jeff Coats , president and CEO, Autobytel. “Our latest What’s Hot Now report reveals good news for the makers of alternative energy and high mpg vehicles.”

Autobytel’s What’s Hot Now in Green snapshot survey was conducted on Autobytel’s network of consumer automotive sites, including autobytel.com, in July 2010. Over 2,000 consumers responded to the survey. Key results of the study reveal (see charts and highlights below):

• Green Potential High in Next 12 Months
• Stronger Still in 2-5 Years
• Economy Impacts Buying Choices
• Gas pump prices affect likelihood to purchase an alternative fuel vehicle.
• Under 25s: Generation Green
• Hybrid still Tops

More more information on this subject please go to: www.autobytel.com

Moderated by Plug In America’s (http://www.pluginamerica.org) VP, Paul Scott, who is also President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Southern California, “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” presents:

** Paul Wilbur, President and CEO, Aptera (http://www.aptera.com)
** K. Forest Beanum, VP of Public Affairs & Communications, CODA Automotive (http://www.codaautomotive.com)
** Richard Steinberg, Manager, Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, BMW of North America, LLC (http://www.bmwusa.com/ActiveE)
** Eric Shieh, Account Executive, Coulomb Technologies (http://www.coulombtech.com)
** Mike Sullivan, Owner and President, LAcarGUY (http://www.lacarguy.com/green)

This distinguished group of professionals–representing the cycle of invention to delivery and consumer use–will address the value proposition of these businesses and California’s leading role in the sector’s growth. “We will explain why this technology will improve our environment, strengthen our economy and increase our national security,” states Paul Scott, VP, Plug In America. “With the new era of electric vehicles mere months away, this is information vital to anyone who cares about these issues,” Scott added. Specific topics may include:

** Why is the timing for electric vehicles more ideal now than when “Who Killed the Electric Car” was released in 2006? What has changed? Or has it?
** What are the sustainable aspects of the vehicle industry vs. other forms of mobility, especially in Los Angeles?
** What are the economic implications of millions of Californians switching from 60% foreign oil to 100% domestic renewable electricity?
** What do national security experts say about the need to switch from oil to electricity as the energy source for our transportation fleet?
** What plug-in vehicles are available today and what will be available in the near future?
** How many charging stations are there, and how many are really needed?
** What companies are opening electric vehicle showrooms in L.A.?
** How important is the L.A. market as a model for electric vehicle adoption?
** What are the predictions for the future of electric vehicle adoption? What will be future trends?

“On behalf of the SBCLA board, I am thrilled to welcome such a strong representation of this vibrant, rapidly-expanding industry to the Valcucine showroom,” said Laura Berland-Shane, member of the SBCLA board of directors, and business development manager of Alternative Energy at SIEMENS Industry. “We anticipate a lively discourse that will inform and hopefully inspire creative thinking and planning in light of the current electric vehicle renaissance. We are particularly excited to note that many of the companies we will hear from are California-based.”

Event Registration
Advance registration is required to attend SBCLA’s “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” panel discussion and drive-a-thon. To RSVP, please visit http://www.sustainablebc.org.

General admission price of $25 includes:
** Admission to “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” mixer and panel discussion.
** Electric Vehicle driving demo, first come first served.
** Tour of Valcucine’s showroom featuring sustainable kitchen furnishings.
** Light refreshments

Event Sponsors:
The event is sponsored by Stonefield Josephson, Inc. LAcarGUY, Valcucine, “Dom,” Luna & Larry’s Organic Coconut Bliss, Summa Marketing Communications, New Belgium Brewing, Evenson Design Group and dubroWorks Public Relations/Marketing/ Project Management.

Media Attendance and Interview Requests
Attendance of “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” is also open to accredited print, online, and broadcast journalists who register with SBCLA in advance. To register, media members should contact Program Director Molly Lavik by phone at (310) 488-4401, or by e-mail at molly.lavik@sustainablebc.org. In addition, Berland-Shane and all panelists and moderator are most likely available for media interviews before and after the event. To schedule an interview, please contact Lavik.

Driving Directions and Parking Information
“Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” will be held at Valcucine, located at 9030 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and South Wetherly Drive. Attendees may park with payment in the lot situated at 140 South Doheny Drive until the lot is full, or on the street in available metered spaces.

About the Sustainable Business Council of Los Angeles
The Sustainable Business Council of Los Angeles (SBCLA) is a non-profit organization acting as a professional networking and education forum for California businesses and individuals working with sustainable products, services, and processes. The Council’s goal is to assist members with improving their profits, enhancing their communities, and protecting the environment through the education of business professionals about the opportunities represented by technologies and management philosophies that reduce negative and unsustainable ecological impacts. For more information, please visit http://www.sustainablebc.org.

Two years ago over 2,000 visitors took part in the Eco-training and got an idea of the potential savings. In 2009 the VDA is therefore continuing the program together with the manufacturers Audi, Opel, Seat, Ford, Skoda and Volkswagen. The training starts at Hall 10 on the IAA trade fair grounds. Visitors will be accompanied by a professional instructor on the 14-kilometer circuit outside the exhibition grounds, starting off by driving as they normally do. The test-drive vehicle records the consumption during the trip. Then the instructor analyzes the figures and the factors influencing fuel consumption. Before and during the rest of the drive, the instructor gives the participant tips on how to drive much more efficiently.

If participants apply these fuel-saving tips to their own driving style, they can already start reducing consumption on their way home. In the long term this benefits the environment, the driver, and also the vehicle, because wear and tear is also reduced. Visitors wishing to participate in the Eco-training must have a valid driver’s license for passenger cars.

Further information on the Eco-training and all aspects of the 63rd IAA Cars is available on the Internet: www.iaa.de.

Reigning 2008 FIA Formula OneTM World Drivers’ Champion, Lewis Hamilton, became one of the most pictured British sportsmen in the world when he became the youngest driver to win the title.

But none of the portraits of the 24-year old links him so completely to his sport as this stunning portrait in oil, commissioned to kick off National Oil Check Week….Because the twist is that the oil used is Mobil 1 race oil taken directly from the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes car in which Lewis won last year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Mobil 1, technology partner to Hamilton’s Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, charged US artist David Macaluso with the creation of the picture of Lewis in typically triumphant pose to celebrate his title success and highlight Mobil’s role in the UK-wide car maintenance initiative (www.CheckYourOil.co.uk), which kicks off next Monday, June 15.

A limited run of 50 prints of the painting has also been made and one of these special pieces of memorabilia can be won in a competition at www.mobil-1.co.uk in the run-up to the British GP.

The painting will have its first public outing at the ExxonMobil VIP customer event, on the eve of Hamilton’s home Grand Prix at Silverstone.

2008 FIA Formula OneTM World Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton comments: “I’m very impressed with the oil painting. I’ve always known that the Mobil 1 in my race car is an important component that can give us an edge over our rivals in some circumstances, but I’d never have guessed you could use it to paint with; the oil gives this picture a unique look and feel…”

Macaluso, an expert in the use of motor oil as a painting medium, said: “I’ve been recycling used motor oil into paintings since 2005, so it was exciting to do a portrait of Lewis, and it was a privilege. When people look at my portrait of Lewis Hamilton, I want them to know it contains the Mobil 1 that circulated inside his Mercedes-Benz engine. History was made by Hamilton with this oil, and to experience this painting is to be eye-to-eye with that history.

“Painting with the Mobil 1 used motor oil offered a wide range of tones and was obviously a very refined product from its texture. It was extremely smooth and very particle-rich, with all the engine dirt in perpetual suspension, making for a great painting medium.”

Mobil 1 UK marketing manager, Gary Plumridge, said: “Lewis’s World Championship win last season was the fifth Formula 1 drivers’ title Mobil has won but it was perhaps the most satisfying because of the thrilling manner in which the title was decided.

“We wanted to create something that celebrates Lewis’s spectacular triumph but also highlights the vital role that Mobil 1 plays in the performance and protection of any engine.”

National Oil Check Week (www.CheckYourOil.co.uk) was set up by Comma Oil, owned by ExxonMobil, to encourage the UK’s 35 million motorists to carry out basic car maintenance tasks like checking oil levels, after it was revealed that 17% of UK drivers were risking an average repair bill of £1,413 by never checking their oil, while a staggering 1 in 5 cars on the road has so little oil in the engine that it is perilously close to suffering a catastrophic breakdown.

Mobil 1 pledged its support to the National Oil Check Week campaign along with Esso service stations and Halfords, the UK’s leading car parts and accessories store.