There’s no denying that the Toyota Prius is the most famous green car in the world - nor would we attempt to downplay its influence in the explosion of popularity for hybrid cars around the world. However, when it comes to green car buyers it’s not the most popular choice.

According to a Compete survey, Toyota cars are only number 13 on the list of most popular brands with green car buyers. Even more surprisingly, Toyota’s leading rival, Honda, which has the highest corporate average fuel economy numbers, only managed to finish nineteenth.

Sound strange? Well, the survey correlated data on the visitors to several ‘green’ third party websites and the visitors to the top 25 automotive research websites. Using the sum of the ranks, it found the most visited and searched for ‘green’ automotive brands.

Of course, the results should be taken with a pinch of salt. Apparently non-green shoppers logging on to these websites and searching for SUVs caused Toyota and Honda to fall in the ranks, due to the popularity of their own SUV offerings.

Nevertheless, here, for the record, are the ‘top ten most popular brands’ with green car buyers:

1. Mazda

2. Mini

3. Smart

4. Porsche

5. Volvo

6. Mercury

7. Subaru

8. Saturn

9. Infiniti

10. Audi

We want to know which brands’ green cars interest you the most? Leave a comment and let us know which brand you prefer and why.

 After some disappointing quarterly results, Ford has made it clear where its future lies - with plans to become the number one hybrid car producer in America next year.

Ford intends to double the number of hybrid cars it offers with hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan to be added to the Mercury Mariner and Ford Escape Hybrid the company already offers.

The company’s director of powertrain research, Dan Kapp, discussed the long-term strategy for the business at a recent Press event in Portland, Oregon, and outlined that the plan is to advance fuel-saving technologies across the product line and begin to delve into plug-in hybrids and more. After that the company will look into hydrogen fuel-cell cars, biofuel-powered cars and any other new technologies.

In particular, Kapp chose to highlight the EcoBoost engine available on select models. With direct injection and turbo charging it can raise fuel economy by as much as 20 per cent and can lower exhaust emissions by around 15 per cent.

Kapp also highlighted that Ford offers the first driveable hydrogen fuel-cell PHEV in the Edge HySeries but admitted that Ford was not pursuing hydrogen powered cars as quickly as Honda.

 A start-up company situated in Portland, Oregon, is aiming to produce a two-seats, three-wheel petroleum electric hybrid that it hopes will be able to achieve 100mpg.

According to a report in the Oregonian, the vehicle itself will weigh around 1,300lbs and will include a carbon fibre exterior with a steel tubing safety cell. It will be capable of achieving speeds of 85mph and should travel for around 250 miles on a single tank - a vast improvement on similar models. Its retail price will be between $20,000 and $25,000.

The Green Lite Motors Corporation was formed by Tim Miller in May 2005 after Miller met with several environmentalists in the hopes of finding a more fulfilling career - and while doing a lot of driving decided that he didn’t need 4,000lbs of metal just to get around.

Miller is searching for private investment in the region of $5 million and plans to build the vehicles in Portland using local expertise.

The problem, says Miller, is that someone might get their first. He hopes to secure investment in time to begin production by the end of 2009 or early 2010.

If you would like to contact Mr Miller for more information, you can visit greenlitemotors.com.

 The urgency to make the switch to green cars is spreading rapidly around the world with the Philippines being the latest country to express a strong interest in environmentally friendly vehicles.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has urged car manufacturers to bring more hybrid cars into the country and has called for the adoption of fuel efficiency and renewable energy measures.

Speaking at the opening address of the Philippine International Motor Show, she expressed her enthusiasm to make the switch from gas to electricity and stated that they would need the will of the people and private sector groups to push lawmakers into adopting green measures.

Local government units in the Philippines have been called on to reduce fuel consumption by at least 10 per cent, and municipal governments have been asked to convert their vehicles to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The president also urged local businesses to provide transportation for their workers until fuel prices go down.  Â

 It may be less than a month since the ultra successful British International Motor Show closed its doors, but already car manufacturers are lining up to showcase their latest offerings at the next major event on the motoring calendar - the Paris Motor Show.

Preparing to say ‘bonjour’ at the event is Peugeot’s brand new hybrid concept car dubbed the RC. The vehicle has yet to be officially named although we understand that its name will be announced as part of its launch.

The hybrid concept attempts to provide the missing link between the RC spade and diamond concept cars revealed in 2002 and the 908 RC which turned heads at the last Paris Motor Show in 2006. The concept will bring together numerous ideas on styling, engineering and technology.

Though specific details are yet to be released, the Peugeot RC is said to be an accessible and versatile car with four doors, four seats and innovative hybrid technology. Its aim is to produce a very high level of efficiency in terms of performance and produce a minimal impact on the environment. It is said to have carbon dioxide emissions of just 109g/km in the combined cycle or zero in electric mode.

The Paris Motor Show is held every two years and is the most historic in the world - it was the first of its kind when formed in 1898 by industry pioneer Albert de Dion. This year’s show takes places at the Paris Expo in Porte de Versailles from October 4-October 19.

 No green car has made a larger impact on US soil than the Toyota Prius. Thanks to its celebrity endorsements it was able to breakthrough as an alternative to gas guzzlers in a country that’s always favoured big, powerful vehicles. So it should come as no surprise that the Americans will soon be able to call the Prius one of their own.

No, Toyota hasn’t been sold to an American company - but the Prius will soon be manufactured in the USA.

The company has a plant under construction in Blue Springs, Mississippi, which was originally intended for petroleum powered Highlander SUVs - however, high demand for fuel-efficient vehicles has led to a change in approach as beginning from 2010 the Prius will be built there instead.

The Prius has been in high demand on US soil leading to shortages in supplies and though the Highlander will still be built in the USA (at a plant in Indiana), Toyota has suspended Tundra and Sequoia production from now until November due to a drop in truck demand.

The Prius is not the first Toyota hybrid to be built in the USA - that honour belongs to the Camry which is built in Kentucky.

 Despite news earlier this week that ‘large cars are losing their value fast‘, one manufacturer has bucked the trend by enjoying a sales boost.

Lexus is celebrating the success of its RX400h model, which saw its sales rise by 28 per cent this July compared to the same month last year. Whereas there has been an average decline of around 30 per cent among most SUV models, and even as much as 50 per cent for some leading names, Lexus has enjoyed a stark contrast in fortunes.

The reason for Lexus’s success is largely being attributed to its hybrid engine. It is super-efficient with fuel consumption at 34.7mpg and has comparatively low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at just 192g/km, all of which earns a low tax rating.

These significant savings are allowing drivers to ‘have their cake and eat it’ - still being able to drive a large car without forking out too much additional expense as fuel prices rise and the clampdown on high polluting vehicles continues.

Currently, the Lexus RX400h is the only hybrid SUV on the market. If you would like to learn more about the car, check out this guide.

 Anyone waiting for Nissan to join the hybrid car race shouldn’t hold their breath just yet - with reports suggesting the prototype has some way to go before it can reach production.

According to Autoweek, the Nissan hybrid is scheduled to arrive in 2010 but during a test drive with journalists last week many kinks were discovered including some awkward lags when the engine kicked in to assist the electric motor. Furthermore, the project manager also admitted that deceleration was jerky because of battery regeneration.

Nevertheless, Nissan has high hopes for the model - its first in-house hybrid; its only previous hybrid production being the Nissan Altima, which is equipped with a Toyota developed system.

Nissan’s vice-president for product development Atsushi Shizuta says the model won’t be a standalone hybrid like the Toyota Prius, but will instead be a hybrid version of a current nameplate. The test version was an Infiniti G35 but its unclear at this point whether the final hybrid model will have a new nameplate.

The electric motor will be powered by lithium-ion batteries, which weigh less and can produce more power than the current generation of nickel-hydride batteries. By contrast, Toyota and Honda plan to stick with nickel-hydride batteries for their next generation hybrids due to be released next year.Â

 Celebrity endorsements can go a long way in improving the image of just about everything - like it or not, if an A-list celebrity gives a product the thumbs up then chances are the public will clamor for that product too, to follow in the star’s footsteps.

So it’s encouraging therefore that one of the brightest young celebrities in the world today - and one with a massive influence over her scourge of teen and pre-teen fans - is getting behind the green car push.

Miley Cyrus, also known as Hannah Montana, is approaching driving age and has set her sights on a hybrid vehicle - albeit with a little gentle persuasion from her father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

Miley was quoted on the Ecorazzi website as stating: “I’ve begged my dad for the Mercedes G-wagon, but he was like, ‘Miley, isn’t there enough pollution in the air?’ We’re Cherokee, that’s our background. And he’s like, ‘As a Cherokee, I really don’t think you want to do this.’ And I’m like, ‘Dad, I’m not that Cherokee.’ He wants me to take care of the environment and look at hybrid cars. I’m stoked, that’s awesome, especially with the price of gas. I want to spray paint it. I want to rock out my car. I want to get my car pimped out.”

Ms Cyrus won’t be the first celebrity to get behind the wheel of a hybrid - the Toyota Prius has been dubbed ‘the car of the stars’ due to its huge support among Hollywood A-list celebrities. The likes of Cameron Diaz, Tom Hanks, Larry David, Jack Black, Woody Harrelson, Harrison Ford, Kurt Russell and Leonardo Di Caprio are all proud drivers of hybrid cars.

 Many car manufacturers are attempting to grab their share of the Olympic spotlight now that the Beijing Games are under way. Consequently, it seems only fitting that one Chinese manufacturer is getting in on the act.

Chery Automobile, owned by the local government of Wuhu, is the largest independent Chinese auto manufacturer and sold around 381,000 vehicles in 2007. Now it has launched new hybrid vehicles based on its A5 model that will be included in the Olympic fleet.

In total it has introduced 10 ISG hybrids and 40 BSG hybrids to be included in the Olympic fleet - the first time a Chinese car manufacturer has ever been involved in the Games. It is believed that Chery’s hybrid cars can reduce emissions by around 12 per cent and can reduce fuel costs by 15-30 per cent. The vehicles are expected to go into full production as soon as the Olympics finishes.

It’s not the first time green cars have taken the spotlight at the Games. According to a Chery Press release, electric cars were first included in the Munich Games of 1972.

Volkswagen has also got in on the act this time around - you can read more about its participation here. Â