For years we’ve been seeing and hearing about advancements being made to create more efficient automobiles. Hybrid cars such as the popular Toyota Prius have reduced the amount of gasoline needed to power a vehicle and rely more on an electric battery. Now, after years of anticipation, electric cars are set to hit the market. The Nissan Leaf, which stands for leading, environmentally friendly, affordable, family car, will begin sales in the US this December. Reservations for one of these cars are already being taken for a 99 placeholder fee. This affordable car will cost 32,780, but that’s before federal tax credits which can cover a significant portion of the cost. Another electric car that has been the subject of the green media frenzy is the Tesla Roadster. This is an expensive, luxury, sports car that also runs solely on electricity. These cars will use no gasoline or diesel at all. So, where’s the catch? Much of the ability of these cars to reduce harmful pollutants depends in what state they are used. These cars must be plugged into an outlet or charging station and connect to an electricity grid to charge their battery. Throughout the United States, electricity is produced through various different techniques. In places such as California, where most of their electricity is produced by carbon-free power sources such as nuclear energy or hydroelectricity, this car will make great strides. However, much of the country still runs on coal, particularly in the Southeast. Coal is one of the dirtiest burning fuels and if you plug up to a coal-fired power grid then your impact is minimal. Usually coal-powered electricity is cleaner than a gasoline engine, but the “zero-emissions” tagline isn’t entirely factual. Make no mistake, we are definitely making progress and electric cars are certainly a step in the right direction, however, we can’t wash our hands of carbon emissions just yet.