WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It was an odd collection of vehicles on display on Capitol Hill, ranging from a bucket truck used for repairing power lines to something resembling an enclosed golf cart to a pair of hot-looking, two-seater sports cars.





Lawmakers eyeball one of several alternative-energy vehicles parked this week on Capitol Hill.





What they had in common was alternative energy: The cars run on electricity and biofuels as well as gasoline. Tuesday's display attracted some U.S. senators who couldn't resist taking the vehicles for a spin.





"I'm about to have claustrophobia!" laughed Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Delaware, as he folded himself into a yellow, low-slung vehicle known by the initials ENVI, developed by the Chrysler Corporation.





"Evan Bayh [Democratic senator from Indiana] and I were talking about taking a road trip in the van down there," said Carper, pointing to a nearby offering from General Motors. "That's probably better for a road trip than this!"





Carper then spotted Democratic colleague Tom Harkin, and joked that the sports car might draw too much attention in the Iowa senator's corn country.





Undeterred, Harkin climbed in next and asked to take a test drive. But instead of starting with a growling engine and a roar of exhaust, the little yellow coupe simply rolled quietly out of its parking space.





It is an electric vehicle.





The display, titled "The Energy and Environmental Showcase," was intended to demonstrate for lawmakers actual production models of vehicles that may cut the nation's reliance on petroleum-based fuels. An unusual aspect of the show was that traditional Detroit nameplates such as General Motors sat next to competitors from other countries.





The event was organized by Bright Automotive, a small carmaker from Anderson, Indiana, to showcase its IDEA, a new, 100-mpg plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that it hopes to market for government and commercial fleets. In a statement, the company said it has applied for funding through the federal Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program.





Other manufacturers took advantage of the opportunity to bring their own vehicles to the public display, in a parking lot near the Russell Senate Office Building.





During the Bush administration, Japanese automakers complained they weren't invited to a similar demonstration near the Treasury Department, despite having brought their alternative-energy cars more swiftly to the U.S. market than the Detroit automakers.





But neither the competition nor the threat of bankruptcy held back the enthusiasm of a General Motors product spokesman at Tuesday's display. "If anything, it's just a little bit of noise in the background," said Tony Posawatz, a GM vehicle line director.





He told CNN the automaker places high on its recovery agenda the line of Volt electric cars expected to come to market by November 2010. A silver GM sedan on display nearby uses electric batteries and a self-contained recharging engine powered by a variety of fuels.





"I would like people to stop talking mpg," Posawatz said, leading a reporter toward a van powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The Chevy Equinox on display is one of 100 now in private hands. Instead of miles per gallon, the energy plant supplies electricity and a calculation of cruising range while driving.





For now, however, drivers might still be impressed by the ZENN, a little car claiming 280 miles per gallon. The car's cruising range of about 40 miles translates to about 280 miles per gallon, according to the Canadian automaker.





"ZENN" stands for Zero Emission No Noise, said a worker who was buffing away some tree pollen that had settled on the car during the breezy afternoon. The car's top speed is about that of a strong gust of wind -- 35 mph.





"It's supposed to be your third car in the driveway," explained ZENN spokesman Daniel Stiller. "Most people drive less than 20 miles from home on streets with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less."





He acknowledged that the car may qualify as street-legal only on local, low-speed roads.
What did the display attract? Who organised the event? What hit Capitol Hill this week? Where is the carmaker who organized the event from? Which members of Congress tried out the cars? Where was eclectic assortment of alternative-energy vehicles seen this week? Did the display attract anyone? What is happening on Capitol Hill this week? Who organized the event? Who  couldn't resist taking the cars for a spin?
The cars run on electricity and biofuels as well as gasoline. Tuesday's Bright Automotive, alternative-energy vehicles Anderson, Indiana, U.S. senators Capitol Hill, some U.S. senators "The Energy and Environmental Showcase," Bright Automotive, U.S. senators
question: What did the display attract?, answer: The cars run on electricity and biofuels as well as gasoline. Tuesday's | question: Who organised the event?, answer: Bright Automotive, | question: What hit Capitol Hill this week?, answer: alternative-energy vehicles | question: Where is the carmaker who organized the event from?, answer: Anderson, Indiana, | question: Which members of Congress tried out the cars?, answer: U.S. senators | question: Where was eclectic assortment of alternative-energy vehicles seen this week?, answer: Capitol Hill, | question: Did the display attract anyone?, answer: some U.S. senators | question: What is happening on Capitol Hill this week?, answer: "The Energy and Environmental Showcase," | question: Who organized the event?, answer: Bright Automotive, | question: Who  couldn't resist taking the cars for a spin?, answer: U.S. senators