Although the Tesla roadster has received the lion’s share of attention from the enthusiast media, it is not alone among high-performance electric cars.

Although the Tesla roadster has received the lion’s share of attention from the enthusiast media, it is not alone among high-performance electric cars. A company called Commuter Cars has come out with its Tango. Naturally, it has the requisite celebrity endorsement, this time of George Clooney.

The performance of the two vehicles, on paper, looks surprisingly similar. Both are supposedly capable of 0-60 in around four seconds flat, and are both capable of speeds over 130 mph. Both are priced at around $100,000. But at least in my book, taking a look at the respective lines of these two vehicles, there’s no contest.

Personally, I’d rather retain my dignity with my environmental consciousness, thank you very much. I mean, just take a look at the two of them:

The Tesla would just look right at home cruising the PCH at sunset, its low, lean profile hugging the curves. The Tango, on the other hand, looks like something the grand poobah of the local Shriner’s temple would be leading the parade with, leopard-print Fez hat and all. I will be the first to admit that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that there are probably some that find the Tango’s lines attractive (like Ralph Nader, for instance).

I am by no means belittling the engineering that went into the Tango. I’m sure it’s a very capable vehicle. But for the majority of consumers, if they want to buy an electric sports car, they want it to look like a sports car.

–Edward A. Sanchez