Like many new startup companies -- especially the electric vehicle startups --  Miles EV is headquartered in a "Green State," in its case California.

The CEO, activist/entrepreneur Miles Rubin was a Ralph Lauren executive before retiring to build his dream vehicle in 2005. His is one of the EV startups planning a freeway speed EV due on these shores in 2010, (a vehicle test-driven by eco-Mayor Bloomberg in China). Like a true garmento, Miles will manufacture vehicles in China.

Miles already builds NEVs (neighborhood electric vehicles: speed-limited to 25 mph) which he sells in places like the City of Chicago, NASA, UCLA and CalState Polytech, as well as selling several to a luxury wilderness resort in Montana.

Even in less eco-aware places, locals are beginning to take the law into their own hands, responding to $4-a-gallon gasoline. One such private citizen recently succeeded in changing local laws to allow him to drive an actual golf cart on city streets, and no wonder he wanted to: the golf-cart he bought 20 years ago for $300 gets 20 miles on a 10-hour charge.

Coincidentally, since moving its manufacturing plant from China to Kentucky, a "Brown State" not known for environmentalism, California's little "Green State" startup, ZAP had its sales more than double since last year to $737,000 for August . I have seen more of these Zapping around my own "Green State" city of Berkeley this year: small eco businesses such as flower shops and solar installers seem to like the 40 mph ZAP trucks.

But when eco businesses locate outside of the green states, they expand eco-awareness beyond the few Berkeleys of the nation, leading not only to an expanded market, but also to hopefully influence their congressional representatives to be greener. 

Entrepreneurs who are deciding where to locate should keep in mind that until we change the minds of the less environmentally-aware elected officials who today prevent green legislation from passing, extending production tax credits for solar and wind power or promoting EV development will be more challenging.

So, got an eco-business? Move it to a Brown State. You'll be doing all of us a favor.

News and photos from AutoBlogGreen