Smart Cars in Europe
The havoc caused by the oil crisis of the 1970s and the growing awareness of climate change in the latter part of the twentieth century spurred many European states to encourage the development of alternate sources of energy and transportation. Thus, by the twenty-first century, the landscape was dotted not only with windmills but also with tiny, highly fuel-efficient automobiles like the Smart car shown here. European governments also heavily taxed gasoline with the result that it cost twice as much or more than in the United States, thus further encouraging people to buy Smart cars rather than SUVs, which were a far rarer sight in Europe than in the United States. (© David Cooper / Toronto Star / ZUMA / Corbis.)