Fuel cell vehicles may be the spark of the future, but right now you can drive clean with a technology more familiar to most of us--batteries.

Gail Lucas, DRI computer programmer and Las Vegas resident, proves it every day. Like thousands of other Las Vegans, Lucas uses a car to get to work, to school, and to shopping centers. But unlike the exhaust-producing vehicles of her city mates, Lucas' vehicle doesn't contribute a single micron of pollution to the air around her because Lucas is a driver, collector, and zealous promoter of electric vehicles (EVs). She has 13 in all, and she hasn't driven a gas- powered vehicle in more than five years.

Beyond a mere hobby, Lucas' interest in electric vehicles stems from a deep-rooted commitment to the environment and a determination to change, if not the entire world, at least her little portion of it. She knows that if it doesn't start with the individual, it doesn't start at all. "Every day I hear complaints about our air pollution problem, the haze which obstructs our view of the mountains, and the fumes from vehicular traffic. Those who are offended by this environmental degradation should take the lead in helping to reverse it. Electric vehicles, bicycles, mass transit, and walking are all means we can use in our daily lives to contribute to an improved quality of life."

And then there are the little things that make it just plain nice to drive an electric vehicle: there's no need for annual smog checks; an electric vehicle is serenely quiet on the road; and an extension cord plugged into a regular electrical outlet takes the place of gas stations fill-ups. Of course an electric vehicle attracts some attention, even in Las Vegas. "The car I drive was described...as looking like a cross between a doorstop and a milk carton....It is most often called 'cute,' sometimes 'odd,' and once, 'awesome' by some children on a street corner." So where do you get one of these awesome vehicles? Major car manufacturers are slowly coming into the fold with electric vehicles: General Motors offers its EV1 for lease at about $400 a month. Not surprisingly, cyberspace has become a primary marketplace information source for enthusiasts of the clean cars. "The EV discussion list on the Internet is a place to buy and sell electric vehicles and components," says Lucas, "as well as to learn how to build them and what products are best." For do-it-yourself types, there are conversion kits that, according to Lucas, cost at least $4,500, "and quite a bit more if you want the latest and greatest technology."

Jackie Allen