With many people looking more and more towards economic cars the big question on most people’s minds is what the future may have in hold for them in terms of competitive alternative vehicles. Thankfully a number of different companies these days are springing upon this opportunity to fill in this gap in the market and offer a wide selection of vehicles set to roll out in the next few years that can provide people with not only a clean conscience by driving an economically friendly vehicle but also a heftier wallet thanks to the amount of savings they can enjoy from purchasing an economically friendly version of both sedans and sports cars getting ready to take the roads starting as early as 2012.

One of the biggest players locally in the US is actually a relatively small company compared to the major car producers such as GM and BMW known as Tesla Motors – a newer company aimed entirely at providing affordable electric sports cars for consumers domestically within the US as well as in some select locations around the globe. Currently an all-electric vehicle from Tesla retails for a bit over $100,000 if you’re looking for a high-powered, economically friendly sports car though newer sedan models sporting the same speed and handling of the sports car variety are getting geared up for production and should be seen on the roads by mid 2012, retailing at around $30~$50,000.

BMW is also looking at putting out a new hybrid sports car model, targeting 2013 as a rollout date for a new diesel/electric hybrid that will reportedly get 63 miles per gallon while still housing over 350 horse power and being able to go from 0 to 60 in less than five seconds. This news has made even the most skeptical of geo-friendly car cynics think twice before criticizing the trend for economically friendly cars, though given the fact that BMW will most likely tag on a price tag of over $100,000 for this car would make it a less-than-ideal option for most general drivers out there.

If you’re looking for an alternative energy car yourself be sure to keep a close eye on what the markets have to offer in the coming months and years as new developments are breaking ground each and every day towards a safer, more fuel-efficient commuter experience that will end up overall saving you time and money by reducing your trips to the gas station. Be sure to pay close attention to both pure electric as well as gas/electric hybrids that are being developed as these are the most likely to see cars available on the markets in the near future. Hydrogen cars, though growing somewhat in areas such as Los Angeles where a few are available, still simply do not have the infrastructure in place to support their usage within the country at this time and may be a more long-term goal rather than a realistic alternative to current fossil fuel based cars for the time being.