Green Is The New Black: The Top 5 Most Stylish Electric/Hybrid Vehicles

Often, hybrids are thought of as boring, lifeless electric boxes that don't give quite the thrill as a gasoline powered car would. This is brought on by a short history of lackluster hybrid cars as companies tried to appeal to the largest number of people possible by not offending with styling in order to move electric and hybrid units out of their factories.

However, as consumers begin to warm up to the idea of full-electric or hybrid vehicles, automakers are becoming a bit more risky with their designs as the electric engines begin speak for themselves without manufacturers having to coax consumers into what some call the future. As a result, there are quite a few stylish all-electric and hybrid vehicles available. Here are five of the most stylish:

Porsche Panamera S E-hybrid
Starting price: $93,200
Fuel economy: 51 MPGe
0-60 time: 5.2 sec
Hybrid

The Porsche Panamera S E-hybrid is a hybrid fit for the whole family as it has four doors, albeit its only for a wealthier family. On the other hand, it provides sleekness for a night out without the kids to turn some heads. What the Panamera S E-hybrid does well is it is a practical everyday car with a hatchback for added utility, while maintaining classic Porsche racing heritage via engine, top speed and 0-60 time.

Porsche combines a 333 hp electric motor and pairs it with a 95 hp gasoline motor. This is what makes it a hybrid as opposed to an electric vehicle. Hybrids are a combination of gasoline and electric power while proper electric vehicles require no trips to the gas station.

Cadillac ELR Coupe
Starting price: $57,500
Fuel economy: 82 MPG e
33 MPG (without electric power)
0-60 time: 5.4 sec
Hybrid

Autos don't need to be German to be sleek. This American automobile offers the sleekness of two doors, muscular body and stylish lines which flow from front to back. The grille adds some style to the ELR while acting as functional, too. The active shutters on the front make the vehicle seem less like a piece of Swiss cheese with holes in the front to let air in and more like a chrome bullet as they close to improve aerodynamics.

The ELR can be operated on gasoline-only mode which gives it an EPA fuel rating of 33 or in all-electric mode. In all-electric it burns the equivalent amount of pollution with electricity to go the same distance as it would with one gallon of gasoline. The ELR has the classic Cadillac-look which is ever so pleasing after the brand's overhaul of the visual aspect of their models a few years ago. Cadillacs are no longer for those with a walking stick; they are meant for the young professional who is looking for a modern car.

McLaren P1
Starting price: $1,150,000
Fuel economy: 34 mpg
0-60 time: 2.5 sec
Hybrid

This is the fastest hybrid out there. With a V8 motor and 324-cell battery pack, the McLaren P1 creates 904 horsepower. If the speed doesn't floor you, the price will at $1.15 million. However, if you can swing it, the P1 is one of the coolest cars money can buy.

Tesla Model S
Starting price: $70,000
Fuel economy: 89 MPGe
0-60 time: 5.2 sec
All-electric

It would be cliché to go on with this list without having a Tesla. Tesla, the new American all-electric vehicle company based in California is known for their modern and futuristic taste on vehicle styling. Unlike hybrids, the Tesla is all-electric and will not require a trip to the fuel station... ever.

The all-electric motor has more torque than a gasoline-powered equivalent, which is why it's acceleration is so quick. The interior is styled with the word "sleek" in mind. A giant touch screen system in the middle is the driver's guide to a state-of-the-art entertainment system and convenient autopilot mode which maintains speed, distance from other cars, takes evasive maneuvers and can change lanes with the touch of a button. For safety reasons, the driver must touch the steering wheel every minute to let the system know that they are still paying attention to the road.

BMW i8
Starting price: $135,925
Fuel economy: 76 MPGe
0-60 time: 4.2 sec
All-electric

The Germans return to the list with sleek styling. The BMW i8 looks like it just got off the system from the movie iRobot. Coming straight from the future, the i8 can travel very quickly. Even more, it can survive on one charge for 330 miles. The grille beams the classic BMW electric blue and even features suicide doors. The i8 seems to be the definition of sleek.

Robert Mathius is a Chicago suburb native who currently lives in Tinley Park. He has a passion for the automotive industry in addition to journalism and works to blend his two passions in his writing. Additional automotive reporting by Robert can be found on Examiner.com.