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Press Advisory: 100mpg Plug-in hybrid to debut in Washington DC
May 16, 2006 (From the CalCars-News archive)
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100mpg Plug-in hybrid to debut in Washington DC

WHAT: Bicameral, bipartisan press conference on energy security + plug in hybrid vehicle test drives by Senators and Representatives. WHEN: Wednesday, May 17, 11:45 - 12:15 followed by individual media test drives upon request. NOTE: The press conference will take place immediately following the "Plug In Hybrid" hearing of the Energy Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science. WHERE: New Jersey Avenue (Between C and D streets) behind the Cannon House Office Building)

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO AND/OR TO SCHEDULE AN INDIVIDUAL BRIEFING/TEST DRIVE:
Anne Korin, anne@..., 866.713.7527

The Set America Free Coalition, the California Cars Initiative (CalCars) and the Hybrid Consortium are proud to introduce the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) to ever appear in the Nation's capital. While CEO's of Detroit's Big Three will be meeting Congressional leaders to discuss the auto industry's future, members of Congress and other notables will be test driving the car on Capitol Hill.

The event will include demonstrations and test drives of a plug-in hybrid vehicle based on the Toyota Prius hybrid. The demo vehicles add larger batteries and a 30 mile electric driving range in addition to the gasoline range. They can be recharged by plugging in to the electric power grid. They illustrate the benefit of adding a second fuel source to a gasoline car: cheaper, cleaner, domestic electricity, and can help significantly reduce dependence on oil since only 2% of U.S. electricity is generated from oil.

These vehicle show that plug-in hybrids are a solution that automakers could use today -- using existing technology, currently available components, and no new infrastructure.

"Plug ins are clearly a near term solution that fits the American way of life," said Anne Korin, chair of Set America Free. "We hope that Detroit will embrace the technology and commercialize it. Less than 2% of U.S. electricity is generated from oil, so using electricity as a transportation fuel would greatly reduce dependence on imported petroleum, thus contributing to our national security."

CalCars.org founder Felix Kramer said, "Washingtonians who see and drive CalCars' plug-in hybrid for the first time this week will know in a real way what's possible now. The auto-makers, legislators, the Energy Department and the President need to think about how we can accelerate development and begin mass production of plug-in hybrids." ####
The Set America Free Coalition brings together prominent individuals and non-profit organizations concerned about the security and economic implications of America's growing dependence on foreign oil. The coalition promotes a blueprint for energy security that spells out practical ways real progress toward energy security can be made over the next several years. Pathbreaking bipartisan oil savings legislation based on the Set America Free Coalition's energy security blueprint was recently introduced in the House and Senate (House bill: HR. 4409 -Fuel Choices for American Security; Senate bill: S. 2025 - Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security) http://www.setamericafree.org

CalCars.org is a Palo Alto-based nonprofit group of entrepreneurs, engineers, environmentalists and consumers promoting high- efficiency, low-emission cars and harnessing buyer demand to help commercialize plug-in hybrids. Calcars was the first to convert a hybrid into a PHEV. http://www.calcars.org

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