What's the political age of your car?

So, what's the political age of your Prius? That question may not be relevant now, but if totally electric cars do in fact become a reality soon, a gas-electric hybrid may be seen as old-tech, despite the fact that the technology seems pretty cutting-edge right now. If this seems hard to believe, take a look at this article by Guido Reinking, where he explains how some cars which were seen as super-green in 2005 are now banned in some areas due to their high emissions. With the speed at which technology is developing and higher standards being demanded by the populations and governments of the world, cars purchased tomorrow may be old-news the following year. So, the question bears repeating: what's the political age of your car?

[Source: Auto News (sub. req'd)]