FAIRVIEW - It could be the ultimate gas-saving vehicle.

It runs on batteries, doesn't pollute the environment and never needs a drop of gasoline.

Some 26 states allow the use of golf carts on local streets, or give towns the power to make that decision.

In Texas, the carts are not allowed on most streets.

Even so, local sales are way up - people are stretching their dollars by going electric.

Ron and Adrian Bernhard say now that they bought a golf cart, they won't need a second car.

"We'll save on gas. We'll save on insurance. We've saved on maintenance on the second vehicle. So it's a good situation for us. It makes sense, said Ron Bernhard.

The Bernhards are retired. They live in Heritage Ranch, an adult community in Fairview.

They say the golf cart is perfect for their lifestyle.

"We go to friends' houses. We go to dinner. We go to our lake to do fishing. We take it on the trails," said Ron Bernhard.

And, it's perfectly legal.

In Texas, carts are allowed to travel up to two miles to and from golf courses. They're also permitted in master-planned communities, like Heritage Ranch, and on public or private beaches.

But some communities across the country, including several small towns in Indiana and Illinois, are allowing golf carts on city streets.

"At four bucks a gallon, I'm trying to save money anywhere I can," said prospective cart buyer, Cynthia Francis.

She says she decided to buy one when gasoline prices hit the roof.

"I'm also planning to use it to go to the grocery store and pick up my son after school and things like that," she said.

Dallas Fort Worth dealerships say they're seeing double digit spikes in their sales.

"It cuts down on pollution and gas costs for individuals," said Melissa Callahan of Dallas Turf and Golf Cars.

All you have to do is hook the charger up to the cart, plug it in, wait eight hours and you're good to go.

For Ron and Adrian Bernhard, that means fewer trips to the pump.