Sunnyvale just a few weeks ago adopted its clean-air resolution at the urging of the American Lung Association.

The resolution states that, when feasible, the city will give preference in its vehicle procurement to the lowest-emission vehicles available and practical. Public safety and emergency vehicles are exempt from the policy.

To help continue this policy in tough economic times, the city's resolution encourages the use of grant funding when available. David Dias, spokesman for the American Lung Association of Santa Clara and San Benito counties, says his organization helps cities identify possible funding sources.

"Sunnyvale has always been very environmentally aware. So it was one of the first cities we approached," Dias says.

In fact, a year ago the city purchased a fleet of 29 compressed natural gas vehicles. The city also owns five electric vehicles and three gas/electric hybrid vehicles. Five more natural gas vehicles are scheduled for delivery within the next few months.

The majority of the vehicles were purchased through grants provided by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's Transportation Fund for Clean Air. Mayor Julia Miller sits on the board of directors for the district.

Other cities around the South Bay have also passed the clean air resolution, including Cupertino, Morgan Hill and Los Gatos. But while these cities are shifting toward using air-friendly vehicles, manufacturers are phasing out electric cars, which are the most air-friendly because they produce no smog.

General Motors, in partnership with Saturn, released the EV1 electric car in 1996 and a newer model of the EV1 in 1999 through a lease-only pilot program.

Other dealers got in on the act but only released a few hundred electric cars at a time—the Chevrolet S10 pickup, the Ford Ranger pickup and the Nissan Ultra. Currently no dealers plan to release electric vehicles in the future.

The other vehicles available for cities and residents who wish to cut down on air pollution are hybrid cars and compressed natural gas cars, and the hybrids are selling fast, with at least 100,000 on California roads today, according to Dias.

Hybrid cars combine the engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and electric motor of an electric vehicle, which allows them to be twice as fuel-efficient as regular cars. Drivers can get anywhere from 40 to 60 miles per gallon. With less gas being used, there is less smog emission and the battery charges itself when its on the road.

Natural gas cars have similar fuel-efficient mileage but use natural gas manufactured primarily in the United States and Canada. The primary drawback is that natural gas is only available at PG&E substations and some city corporation yards. But California drivers are given a map with natural gas stations across the state.

The California Air Resources Board has certified most natural gas cars as "super-ultra-low-emission vehicles," a standard that allows drivers to use the carpool lane.

Toyota and Honda are at the forefront of air-friendly vehicles, with the hybrid Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic in both hybrid and compressed natural gas models. These cars cost anywhere from $18,000 to $24,000.

"If it weren't for the electric cars pushing this technology, we wouldn't have these other clean-air vehicles," says Dias.

General Motors' recall of the EV1, which went into effect on May 17, will affect 1,000 drivers, including Stephen and Karen Casner, who have been driving an EV1 around Sunnyvale for three years now. Thanks to the recall, the Casners have lost the low-maintenance car they've come to rely on.

In a letter written to EV1 lessees, Ken Steward, brand manager at General Motors, says, "The costs to manufacturers of maintaining the EV1 fleet substantially outweigh the benefits. These costs involve the tangible expenditures of the manufacturer to maintain vehicles and spare part supplies, serve our retailers and preserve a team of professionals to stay in direct contact with our customers."

But the Casners suspect the recall has something to do with the low maintenance of their car.

"We don't have oil changes or upkeep. Dealers don't want these cars because they won't make money off of tune-ups afterwards," Karen Casner says.

The EV1 is very convenient, the Casners says. They power the car through energy from a charger in their garage, which uses quite a bit of electricity. But since the Casners installed solar panels, they have arranged to sell energy back to PG&E, which keeps energy bills low.

The photovoltaic solar panels system the Casners use does not come cheap and can run anywhere from $30,000 to $45,000. But Stephen Casner says, "Saving money was not really my motivation for putting the system in; it was to have clean power."

The Casners are disappointed about the recall. "We love our car. We're really sad that GM is not keeping them on the road," says Karen Casner.

Stephen Casner hopes that other manufacturers will pick up where General Motors left off. "This technology may be disruptive to their business. But if we're ever going to ease ourselves off dependence on foreign oil we're going to have to make these changes," he says.

Dias agrees and speculates that the electric vehicles will be back soon. "As the world's fossil fuels get tapped and as oil wells continue to run dry," Dias says, "pure electric vehicles will come back."