Finally, high gas prices! Bring the ELECTRIC MINI Cooper!

I saw a lot of message traffic on the interwebs today about how pickup trucks are no longer outselling cars for the first time in their history, and how Ford is closing three of its plants to focus on its smaller cars. I for one and happier than a pig in shit for the rising gas prices, as they are finally forcing Americans to look away from gas guzzling SUVs and focus on economical, efficient cars as well as alternative fuels. I used to be a huge fan of getting BMW to release the Diesel powered MINI in the US (I even started a petition that has almost 1,400 signatures!), but that was back in the days when diesel was cheaper than gas (you know, 6 months ago).

Now, I say to hell with diesel -- let's focus on electricity! Yes, I'm a big fan of the Tesla Roadster, although I could not afford it until approximately 2011 (when I will be able to afford anything). But why would I want the Tesla? Not for the sports car part, just for having a pure electricity vehicle! Nowadays, my ideal car is a purple haze-colored MINI Cooper with a pure electric motor and 200 miles to a charge.

Can you imagine a pure electric MINI Cooper? In my dreams.

How much would I pay for this car? If it were available today, and I were actually driving a lot (right now I travel so much that I'm trying to get rid of my Jetta TDI), I would pay probably $40,000 for it. But the more gas prices go up, the quicker BMW and other big companies will start to realize the need for electric cars isn't a decade away -- it's on our doorstep.

So I say raise gas prices! Make them $6/gallon. $7! $10 like those poor European bastards (although exchanging the dollar they start to win!). In fact, I'm so motivated to get the electric MINI Cooper that I've started a SECOND petition to implore BMW to build this model before 2010. Will BMW listen to us?