As a Toyota Prius owner who lives in Nashville, Tennessee (not exactly the capital of the eco-awareness), I get stopped now and then by passers-by wanting info – “Is that one of those electric thingies?” they ask. “Where do you plug it in? Is it safe? Does it feel weird to drive?”… and so on. At first it was fun explaining that it requires no plugs, performs beautifully (killer horsepower), has great crash resistance, and very sophisticated airbags.