Precious little roars "wow" more quietly than an all-electric Tesla 2.5 Roadster Sport that can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. The California-built cars start at $101,500.

The fresh-off-the-docks Lightning Green Tesla displayed at yesterday’s preview announcement of the nonprofit Electric Vehicle Association of Honolulu belongs to Mina Brinkopf. An electrical engineer, she is distribution planning engineer for Hawaiian Electric Co. and the first woman in Hawaii to own a Tesla. The others belong to Blue Planet Foundation founder Henk Rogers, billionaire eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar and an unnamed buyer, according to Roald Marth, a venture capitalist and Brinkopf’s boyfriend.

"What Neil Armstrong did for mankind, that’s what we want Hawaii to be" in terms of clean technologies, Brinkopf said. "We want to heal the world, starting from Hawaii."

Dubbed the "Green Machine," the Tesla was displayed and test rides were given to attendees at the soft-launch of EVAH, a local chapter of the national Electric Auto Association.

Emceed by Marth, who could be described as a force of nature, the event was attended by a cross-section of Hawaii’s clean energy and business community, including auto dealer Mike McKenna and Dave Rolf, executive director of the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association, presentation coach Pam Chambers and Ted Peck, administrator of the state energy office.

Peck got to drive the Tesla. The soon-to-be owner of the also all-electric Nissan LEAF was impressed and predicted that in 10 years electric vehicles would "own the marketplace."

"It makes sense for Hawaii," given our short distances, temperate weather that enables superior battery functionality and other factors, he said.

Others were driven around in the nearly silent car by Aaron Landry, a consultant to Marth. With a grin he put the car into performance mode and slightly pressed the accelerator for a quick burst of speed that instantly translated into g-forces pushing through one’s chest cavity and into the seat-back. Rather than a petrol-burning, internal combustion-spark-igniting, piston-churning roar, the electric motor made sort of a muted Jetson’s car whirring sound.

"Oh my God," exclaimed Chambers upon returning from her test ride, jokingly indicating her desire for a strong adult beverage and a cigarette to complete the experience.

EVAH, still finalizing its organization, will promote electric vehicle adoption and the infrastructure needed to keep them charged and running, said Mark Piscioneri, sales manager for electric vehicle company Wheego Hawaii LLC.