Recently, I told you about the new hybrid automobiles which are starting to be found throughout the United States. Two companies manufacture them now, Honda and Toyota. I questioned whether the United States auto manufacturers would enter this environmentally significant market. Hybrid means part traditional gas powered, and part battery powered - but with no need to "plug in."

Jane Galletto of Cumberland County, New Jersey questions this as well. A thirty seven year native of relatively rural South Jersey, she was raised in the heavily congested Bergen County area of New Jersey, which is near New York.

Galletto has been environmentally conscious for quite some time. She's a member of the Audubon Society of New Jersey and she chaired the endangered species program at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. She is also the President of a local watershed organization. You could fairly characterize Jane as an environmentalist.

Late last year, Jane purchased the Toyota Prius. She ordered it around August of 2000, and it took several months to be delivered. She took possession of it in December of 2000, and she loves it. Its been a love affair ever since her eyes set sight on this new automobile.

What does Jane love the most? Well, she loves just about everything. But the she loves its color most. She tells me that it is an aqua color. Not exactly the color that she wanted, which would have been a darker blue. But rather an aqua which seems to change colors depending on the kind of lighting outside. She absolutely loves the color.

But she also loves the car's performance. According to Jane the car has extraordinary pickup. She says that the car picks up just as well as basically any domestic vehicle. She says it does not compare with a sports car, but then most American cars do not either.

This is significant because many people have been concerned that these hybrid cars, which are part electric and part gas, would not have that kind of pickup. They do. The Prius can really move.

According to Jane, the car "handles very well". It "corners around bends", "and it is excellent in the snow.

Also, there is a question of how much trunk size a car like this provides. Jane reports that it provides a tremendous amount of trunk capacity. She recently placed three large airport carry- on-bags, another larger bag, a gym bag and a tool bag in the trunk. Jane loves the storage and she is very satisfied with the Prius's capacity.

Also, Jane says that even though it is a smaller car it has the feel of a larger car. She says that it has a high ceiling inside and a spacious windshield, giving the illusion that you are in a large car. Also, there is a lot of leg room. Jane is 5'8 inches and with her seat all the way back, the back seat passengers have enough room as well. Jane says the car feels like an Accord or something that is comparable.

Here is the thing that people care about the most, I suspect: gas mileage. Jane has been getting 47 miles per gallon. She assumes that under even better circumstances she could probably get about 55 miles to the gallon. That is extraordinary. And with gas prices continuing to rise, this might be the biggest headline concerning this car. It simply gets extraordinary gas mileage.

Under certain circumstances the car cruises with no motor at all. The car operates in different modes. Sometimes just the gas engine runs. Sometimes just the electric motor runs. Sometimes nothing runs.

And a computer screen inside the car tells you what kind of energy you are getting (battery or gas generated) and where it is coming from. Jane says that after a while, you learn how to use the car efficiently.

As already reported, this is not a car that is plugged in. It is charged when you coast and when you brake. The car is self charging. It is truly a car that operates in part on a renewable energy source.

What doesn't Jane like? Jane doesn't like the fact that the car does not have cruise control. She looks forward to a time when the car will have cruise control. But, overall Jane loves the car and she would highly recommend it to other people.

Jane believes that there will be more introductions of similar cars, including SUVs. Jane also looks forward to a time when even newer technologies will be introduced, such as cars that operate on hydrogen, where only oxygen is released into the environment .

One thing that seems certain to me: the days of traditional gas powered cars are numbered. And that is a very sweet thought for all of us who enjoy breathing.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.