Honda's tiny and green P-NUT. (Honda photo)

I love the idea of the Honda P-NUT. Or maybe it's just the name I like. P-NUT stands for Personal-Neo Urban Transport, and it's the Japanese automaker's latest attempt at an ultra-compact urban vehicle with a tiny "footprint."

The P-NUT was just one of the curious green-themed cars unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which starts this week. This urban commuter thing is gaining ground. Toyota is bringing out an electric car for urban drivers, General Motors' Project PUMA (in coordination with Segway) is a very quirky gyroscopically balanced approach to the same issue, and BMW says to stay tuned, because its own urban battery car is imminent.

But the P-NUT is unique, designed to maneuver in tight settings, with a central driving position (and a rear-mounted powertrain that so far is agnostic as to internal combustion, battery electric or hybrid).

"A new generation is discovering the benefits of living in urban centers that provide convenient access to business, entertainment and social opportunities," said Dave Marek, a Honda design spokesman. "The P-NUT concept explores the packaging and design potential for a vehicle conceived exclusively around the city lifestyle."

The 11-foot micro car (a product of LA's Honda Advanced Design Studio) seats three, with two rear-seat passengers flanking the driver. The rear sets fold up -- shades of the company's versatile Fit (ask the man who owns one, me).

The show itself is already on for the press, and they've been royally entertained. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger took a ride in BMW's ultra-green Vision EfficientDynamics hybrid, which can travel 431 miles before refueling or charging. His reaction is unrecorded, but he looks happy in the photo.