Motor vehicles powered by fuel cells are often a source of debate. Some people feel that they’re a great idea that can help wean nations off foreign supplies of oil. Other people feel that research money would be better spent on the fuel efficiency of conventional engines. Regardless of which side scientists take, there have been a few developments in the fuel cell industry that are turning car buff’s heads.

Honda Fit EV lease packages are set to hit desks on the West Coast later on in July. The new vehicle uses components from the four-year-old Honda Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle to boost up the Fit’s single-charge range. The air conditioning and electric motor control box are taken from the Clarity to ensure that the vehicle doesn’t disappoint consumers like so many other electric vehicles have.

While it might look futuristic, the Honda Fit also features several other interesting options taken out of the older Clarity. For instance, the regenerative braking system seems to have come out of the Clarity’s chassis. This system allows the energy produced by braking to be supplied as electrical current. This means that the car can carry a lighter lithium-ion battery pack than those carried by the electric Ford Focus and the Nissan Leaf.

The EPA granted the Fit EV an equivalent rating of 118 miles-per-gallon. This is the second highest they’ve ever given. The Tesla Roadster received a 119 MPGe, but it has since been discontinued in the United States. With a range of 82 miles, the Honda Fit is better than any other non-Tesla U.S production vehicle expect the Coda Sedan.

Consumers might not want to deal with the sticker shock, however. When the Fit EV will be available for lease in Oregon and California later in July, the monthly price will come to $389. That’s $60 more than the lease on a new Nissan Leaf. For that matter, its $140 more each month than the lease on a new Mitsubishi i. However, the fact that it outperforms either of these vehicles could make consumers turn a blind eye to the high price. After all, they might be able to make up the difference in cash with fuel economy.

Drivers of electric vehicles are often concerned that they won’t have sufficient stores of energy to get to their destinations. A simple $5,000 investment might be able to help private Colorado citizens start up their own electric filling stations. A new law comes into effect in August, which changes state electrical regulations. While only utilities could resell electricity under current regulations, the new law allows anyone to do so.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper supported the law, and feels that it’s an excellent way to allow entrepreneurs to install electronic charging hardware in numerous urban locations. The law is part of a series of changes that have been made as an attempt to clean up Denver’s metro area.

The $5,000 investment buys an EV charging station, and a market for independent battery charging might heat up soon. Commentators have suggested that it might cost $1 for each hour of charging. Depending on the class of vehicle, offers like that could be an excellent deal. Fostering Electric Vehicle Expansion in the Rockies, or FEVER, is a program backed by the federal government that could also be of some assistance.

Among other things, the program offers some support for focus groups. First responders also need to be trained to deal with electric vehicles a bit better. Training programs are focused on helping rescue to feel more comfortable around damaged electric cars. Tax incentives from both the federal and state governments might also fuel sales, so dealerships could have something to look forward to.

Drivers in the state of Colorado have registered around 1,200 electric vehicles. Since one of the biggest barriers to ownership has been the lack of range that limits electric cars, these independent charging stations might ultimately encourage sales. While it seems that most Americans still prefer internal combustion engines, they might change their tune if offered different options.

Nevertheless, electric cars don’t necessarily seem to be the answer to all transportation problems. Drivers have had to rely on certain tricks to extend the range. For instance, some people have made excessive use of regenerative braking technology to keep a steady charge in their batteries. While these charging posts may encourage electric car sales, there’s still a place for traditional engines. Fuel-efficient technology may very well keep new car sales high in that market for the time being.

While it’s long been reported that hybrid and electric vehicles offer energy savings, the reported scientific results have been muddled. It seems every time you turn around, a new study has come out which depicts electric vehicles as either saviors or devils, and then the next week, these same studies find the opposite. This makes cutting through the hype all the more important, and by doing some research online, drivers can quickly find the real evidence behind hybrid and electric cars.

According to Bloomberg, electric vehicles may save drivers as much as $1,200 each year, but keep in mind that this figure is based on current gas prices. When the study was completed, gas prices averaged $3.50 per gallon, and as prices go up or down, these figures may change. Figures also involved government subsidies, which ultimately offset costs, so drivers should always be aware of actual market values before seeking to purchase a vehicle.

In the end, no matter the initial cost of an electric vehicle, it’s important to remember the ownership costs. Purchasing an electric or hybrid vehicle may seem like a measure of cost savings, but in the end, it may end up costing more than you expect. While it’s true that electric cars and hybrids cost less in daily gasoline consumption, many are still unable to get the same mileage per charge that traditional internal combustion engines can get per gallon. This may mean that electric and hybrid vehicles can get more power in each individual charge, but they are often found to get fewer miles-per-gallon/charges comparatively.

All of this ultimately means that purchasing an electric vehicle may not add up when it comes to costs. While it’s true that the economy and gas prices remain unstable, drivers never know when things will turn around. Keep in mind that there was a time when owning and driving an SUV was not only fashionable, but it was affordable. No one knows when the economy will turn around, so it’s never a safe bet to turn away from traditional technology until it has obviously depleted itself.

In the meantime, drivers continue to purchase alternative-fuel vehicles in order to save on the cost of gas, and this trend only seems to have the potential to continue as more and more vehicle manufacturers’ market electric and hybrid vehicles. If you’re planning to purchase one of these vehicles, it’s important for you to compare the actual cost of ownership versus the cost of a traditional vehicle. Only then will you know exactly how much money you are saving.

As of March 2nd, 2012 General Motors has issued a temporary production halt on the Chevy Volt. You may remember that, in recent months, the Volt has been plagued by a battery issue which was causing fires, among other problems. With a promise of less pollution and better fuel economy, the all-electric Volt was once believed to be a savior for GM, which has struggled in the past decade. Unfortunately, with the temporary stoppage in production, which is slated to last five weeks, GM announced that 1,300 employees will be laid off.

Regarding this latest action by GM, spokesman Chris Lee claimed that the company needed to reassess its marketing strategy, as well as its inventory maintenance strategy. Volt sales for February 2012 were slightly higher than in January 2012, but the company is still struggling to move vehicles.

There are some positive signs for the Volt, however, including California classifying the vehicle as a High Occupancy Vehicle, which would allow it to be used in HOV lanes on highways and interstates. Additionally, President Obama recently remarked in a speech that he would like to buy a Volt when he is out of office. Unfortunately, even with these positive strides, the Volt has become something of a political football.

Republicans in Congress have argued that the Volt is simply a subsidized vehicle which is ultimately meant to destroy America’s oil and gas industries. It has also been argued that the high expense to manufacture each vehicle is passing on unnecessary burdens to taxpayers, especially since sales have been sluggish and safety concerns remain high. The issue at hand, according to (R-Pa) Mike Kelly, is that the Volt is failing in showrooms because the demand simply doesn’t exist. According to Kelly, the vehicle will not need to be subsidized when the market is ready.

Officials at GM, on the other hand, claim that the company has grown tired of the Volt being a political issue. It says that it designed and built the Volt in order to offer an alternative to gas-powered vehicles which, in turn, would assist in getting America energy independent. Whether that is actually happening, however, is anyone’s guess. Unfortunately, for now, it seems that GM will need to continue refining the Volt, along with its image, before the market is ready to accept it. In the meantime, GM workers, and America, will simply have to wait and see.