What if there was a way to help the planet, your country, and your wallet all at the same time? Welp, there is. It’s called the Kurrent. It’s the weird-looking car to the left, and it’s now available in the U.S. BUT it’s not street-legal in all states, and in the states it is legal in, you’re only supposed to drive it on roads that have a speed limit of 35 MPH or less. Still, that’s the normal speed limit in most cities, so you could probably drive this around in your city. To be on the safe side, you can check to see if it’s allowed in your state by emailing localrules@getkurrent.com

How Does It Help The Planet?

I’m glad you asked. Since the Kurrent is “refueled” by plugging it into a standard American outlet, it doesn’t use up gasoline, which is a non-renewable resource. Less gasoline equals less drilling to get oil. Also, it is a zero-emissions vehicle, which means that no CO2 or smoke comes out of it. It just whirs around using electricity.

How Does It Help My Country?

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there are more cars on the road now than ever before. Traffic jams are the norm now, and parking in cities has gotten so bad that people don’t even really expect to be able to find a parking space. But with this lil’ car, you don’t take up as much space, so you can maneuver in and out of traffic with ease, and fit into small parking spots.

Since this car doesn’t use gas, it means less of a demand for foreign oil. Less foreign oil means more money stays in the U.S., which is a good thing. It is a patriotic thing.

How Does The Kurrent Help My Wallet?

Excellent question. First, you can buy a brand new one for the low low price of $9,800. That right there is a pretty good price. But wait, there’s more. You won’t have to fill up at the gas station at all. No more money towards gas. Period. And it’ll only cost two cents a mile to run with electricity from your house, so that’s even more savings.

Also, if you own a Kurrent, you qualify for a alternative fuel/electric vehicle federal tax credit. That’s more money in the bank for you.

It can’t all be good news…

No, it can’t. First, this car doesn’t go much faster than 35 miles per hour, so it’s only legal (in some states) on streets with a 35MPH speed limit. You can’t drive this thing on the highways, just in cities and neighborhoods.

Another disadvantage for some people is its size. Although it has 7.5 cubic feet of trunk space (enough for trips to the grocery store), you won’t be able to pack too much into this car. Also, do not get this car if you are planning on towing big things, like boats or trailers.

All that being said, I wouldn’t mind getting a used Kurrent one of these days (or a used Smart Car). And if you do a lot of city or neighborhood driving, you should consider getting a small electric car. Not only will you have a really quiet, smooth ride, but you’ll be a money-saving, environmental, patriotic machine.