Clean cars are again in the news, as major US automakers head to Washington for a second attempt at securing financial assistance. But what the Big 3 are promising, other automakers like Mini are already delivering.

Or are they? Much like the EV1 before it, Mini's highly anticipated plug-in electric vehicle is available only for lease at a steep $850 a month. The cost is comparable to my modest apartment (including heat and hot water) in an overpriced Boston market. The BMW-owned company has also saddled would-be EV drivers with restrictions on garages, electrical wiring, driving history, effectively releasing the car to a very limited and fairly affluent market.

With its poor gas mileage, the Mini definitely needed a sustainability bump. However, a more exclusive product niche won't help sustainable car sales. For years, automakers channeled hybrids as higher-end vehicles, forcing eco-conscious buyers to pay for extras like navigation systems, tire-pressure monitors, and power door locks.

In a year when low-income Americans have been badly in need of gasoline-free vehicles, releasing another high-end showpiece for the streets of New York and LA is no help at all.

 

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Olsenweb.