SIGN ME UP! "Experimental Hybrid Cars Get Up to 250 Mpg"

[GreenPartyVoter]

Editing to say that this is best used if you have solar panels or a windmill at home.

CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) - Politicians and automakers say a car that can both reduce greenhouse gases and free America from its reliance on foreign oil is years or even decades away. Ron Gremban says such a car is parked in his garage.

It looks like a typical Toyota Prius hybrid, but in the trunk sits an 80-miles-per-gallon secret - a stack of 18 brick-sized batteries that boosts the car's high mileage with an extra electrical charge so it can burn even less fuel.

Gremban, an electrical engineer and committed environmentalist, spent several months and $3,000 tinkering with his car.

Like all hybrids, his Prius increases fuel efficiency by harnessing small amounts of electricity generated during braking and coasting. The extra batteries let him store extra power by plugging the car into a wall outlet at his home in this San Francisco suburb - all for about a quarter.

http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20050813/D8BV2AA80.html?PG=home&SEC=news

[MelissaB]

1. I want one, too.

Thanks for the link. Going to read now.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. PLease be aware that the neocons are FOR this.. because they are cornering

the market both on these cars and on alternative energy sources.

However, I would bite the bullet and give them the money for the cars and solar panels if it means inthe long run I am helping the planet.

[louis-t]

8. I disagree, neocons have been bashing hybrids for years

Repub relatives of mine began stating 2 years ago that "you can't even get those, nobody wants them". A Repub auto analyst in my hometown newspaper has been writing articles stating that the Prius is poorly built (right, Toyota, ha!), gets only 25 MPG if you run the heater, they won't solve our energy problems, etc. Neocons HATE the idea of a car that gets 100 MPG for some reason. I guess they love war too much.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. They lvoe the oil industry, but they are coming around as they smell peak

The BFEE was reported here on DU as buying into the solar panel market. I think that is very telling.

But prior to this, yeah.. they hated fuel efficient cars. There was a carbeurator out there that would have gotten amazing MPG some time back, but it got bought up and sat on by people who have no interest in fuel efficient cars.

[louis-t]

10. I would agree with your assessment

that neocons are all for an alternative energy market, as long as they can control it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Exactly. That's how they work. Milk us dry on one thing until we need

something else and then milk us dry on that.

[dissent1977]

2. Wow, that is great news

Especially considering it only costed the guy $3,000 dollars to get that extra 80 miles-per-gallon, a very reasonable cost for many consumers. This looks like a very cost effective way to cut down on gas consumption, lets hope that this technology spreads quickly.

[girl gone mad]

4. Also being discussed....

here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1698969

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Good deal. Thanks for the link. And the cowbell *l*

[glitch]

6. I think I am in love

from the article:
Instead, Frank said, automakers promise hydrogen-powered vehicles hailed by President Bush and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, even though hydrogen's backers acknowledge the cars won't be widely available for years and would require a vast infrastructure of new fueling stations.

"They'd rather work on something that won't be in their lifetime, and that's this hydrogen economy stuff," Frank said. "They pick this kind of target to get the public off their back, essentially."

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Heheh :^D