Eyeing a Future of New-Fuel Cars

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What do you see as the future of the car industry in America?
I think there's a very bright car industry in America. It may not be in the conventional places or with the conventional names. The car of the future is going to have a lot more software. Silicon Valley is a lot better at software than Detroit. The first new car company to come along in America in many decades is called Tesla Motors, an electric car company created by Silicon Valley billionaires who are bringing out a wonderful electric car early next year. This thing is a smart, sexy car that can go 250 miles on one charge. It's faster than a Ferrari. It looks great, uses very advanced technology, and it's going to be available in a few months. The winners will be American, but they don't necessarily have to come from the conventional car industry.

What advice would you offer to consumers who want to do right by the environment and by their pocketbooks?
The power of the purse is quite important, and consumers can play an important role by voting for smart, clean technologies that come to the marketplace. We don't think twice about spending a little extra for an iPhone because it's the coolest thing on the block. When a particularly good, well-designed new car that [uses advanced technology and cleaner fuel] comes into the marketplace, I would encourage people to think of it as their iCar, and invest and support it. The first car is always going to cost a little more. Don't believe anyone who tells you that you can have anything for free, including environmentalism. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. For those who want to be early adopters, you'll have the coolest car on your block and you'll be making an investment in the future of our country.

What kind of car do you drive?
I love cars. My first car was a Chevy Malibu. My car in college was a Triumph Spitfire Convertible that was a little two-seater from Britain. The irony is that I have a book coming out on cars this week, and I don't own a car right now. I live in Manhattan with great public transportation. My point is that you can be a car lover, but if you have a lot of options, you don't have to have a car. My point is not to be an evangelist for the car. But [Zoom] is a car lover's guide to saving the planet.