into Bermuda yesterday.

The Solectria Force will be on sale at Pearman Watlington within two weeks.

However Mr. Will Cox at PW's believes the car will serve more as an example of the shape and power of things to come.

The car has three energy sources -- electricity, solar power and a regenerating electric motor which creates its own power when the car is running downhill.

Mr. Cox has driven the car in Boston where it was modified from a conventional internal combustion engine driven machine.

He said: "The Force is here. It is at the forefront of electric technology.

We are hoping to get more than 100 miles out of it before every recharge.

"The first car was electric until the internal combustion engine was invented and proved to be 100 times more powerful. Now the whole thing has come full circle.'' Mr. Cox said major tests were being held in San Francisco. California is obliged to ensure that two percent of all vehicles are powered by "clean'' fuels.

The Force has won the annual race for cars powered by electricity or solar power, the Race De Sol, for the past three years. In fact the car took the first four places in the races.

It will be marketed at $30,000 but Mr. Cox says that price is bound to fall when more of the vehicles are available.

But, he said: "You have to remember there are no oil changes and no tune-ups.

In the US they found the Force costs one and a half cents per mile to drive compared to four-per-mile for a normal car. That means it will give you a payback in four or five years.

"The tests in the US will have different results than in Bermuda, where there are no long distances, there is a lot of stop and start and you are not driving at 55 k.p.h.'' BELCO have been very supportive of the venture, and PW's have been helped out by Hamilton Jones, an export company run by Bermudian Mr. Derek Jones in Boston.

The car was cleared through customs yesterday and taken to PW's showrooms. It is the first to benefit from the Government's removal of duty on electric or solar-powered vehicles.

The removal of duty was introduced in the last Budget to encourage residents to consider bringing environmentally friendly vehicles to Bermuda.

Mr. Cox said: "We will be taking orders before importing cars. This will be an opportunity for Bermudians to see, touch and listen to the car. People still think electric cars are something out of the Jetsons.'' CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE? -- Mr. Will Cox and the Solectria Force.