It has been more than ten years since American drivers were introduced to the first hybrid car, and each year since, automakers have been releasing models that strive to be both exciting and efficient. Our Candace Hopkins has a preview of this year's newest electric cars from the Syracuse Auto Show.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- As gas prices continue to rise, drivers are looking for new ways to save money. In turn, hybrid and electric cars are slowly becoming mainstream purchases for both work and play.

"It's a small niche in the market, but people are coming out for this. We see municipalities and also colleges coming, looking for these electric vehicles," said Driver's Village CIO Firas Makhlouf.

The Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi I are two of the newest electric cars. Both run solely on electricity, as opposed to hybrids, which use a gas-fueled backup system. Makhlouf said that complete freedom from gasoline is a big attraction for some.

"They want to make a statement that we care about the environment, because it's zero emissions," said Makhlouf.

When considering purchasing an electric or hybrid car, many people said price can be an issue, but manufacturers said to keep in mind that if you do purchase one of these vehicles that you'll receive a $7,500 tax credit on your next year's filing.

"The cost of ownership could be below $28,000. 100 miles only cost about $3.60 to get it fully charged, and the day to day, the drive, feels just like a regular car," said Makhlouf.

And as technology continues to advance, as well as the push to conserve resources, the electric car is bringing the future of transportation to today.