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Plug-In Cars Zoom Forward
Sarah Terry-Cobo 07.29.08, 6:00 PM ET
Burlingame, Calif. spartanburg sc used cars iwanna -
Felix Kramer is in the right place, at the right time, hawking the right product.
As gasoline has risen to nearly $5 per gallon, Kramer's advocacy of plug-in hybrid electric cars has caught the public's--and automakers'--attention. Indeed, who wouldn't want a car that uses a fraction of cars disney pixar screen saver the gas of traditional cars and twice the equivalent mileage of regular hybrid cars?
Through his nonprofit California Cars Initiative, Kramer, 59, is urging the auto industry to build a new generation of albion michigan cars hybrid car that plugs into an cars with motorcycle engines electrical socket. These cars have an extra set of lithium ion batteries that act as a range extender for the buyers of old cars electric motor. On an average 30-mile commute to work, for instance, the electric engine can handle the diagram of a cars axel drive by itself; no gas is used. rental cars For the commute back home after work, the car can be plugged into a 110-volt outlet and charged up again.
Video: Electric Cars Spark Bright Future
Kramer's initiative, which he founded indy cars in Palo Alto, Calif., in 2002 (and is also known as Calcars.org), has converted about 12 hybrids, mostly Toyota Priuses, into plug-ins. There are approximately 200 hybrids converted to plug-ins across the world, Kramer says. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) says the battery technology necessary to power plug-ins has been available for several years and estimates that these hybrids promotional codes for rental cars could be mass-produced by 2010.
"I realized that cars really are the fulcrum of year old swinger classic cars the economy," Kramer told Forbes.com at the Plug-In comparing cars 2008 Conference in San Jose, Calif., last week. "If mpg cars best you can change cars, you can change many clayton used cars things. … It is the end of business as cars in usual, and the car industry needs to figure out ways to build cars antique classic cars that are not using fossil fuels."
Automakers, which dismissed plug-in cars for years, have recently come around to them now that high gasoline prices have reduced demand for SUVs and other gas guzzlers. jay leno cars Indeed, rc cars General Motors (nyse: GM - used cars for sale los angeles news - bad credit used cars people ) has put its Hummer division on the sims cars block and is working on electric philadelphia new cars and electric hybrid vehicles, while Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people ) is planning to make small cars at some of its truck manufacturing plants.
The carmakers, however, say they're supporting plug-in hybrids to help reduce petroleum consumption and pollution. GM spokesman Rob isuzu cars Peterson says the automaker sales tax new cars texas and Kramer have the same goals. "He wants [plug-ins] for the same pixar movie cars reason GM wants them--to get away from the use dealer used cars of petroleum and because they offer an environmental solution," Peterson says.
Toyota (nyse: TM - news - people black cars ) is developing plug-in Priuses that could launch in cash and cars lottery a trial phase in late 2009 or early 2010. The automaker is working with used cars pittsburgh Panasonic to build a factory in used cars in odessa Japan that produces lithium ion batteries.
In addition, there are an estimated 30 start-ups working on electric vehicles and their components. The Cleantech Group, which tracks investments in this space, says $273 million has been invested in lithium ion battery technology cars of the 60s and 70s in the U.S. over the past three years.
The real challenge, Kramer says, is cars for sale california convincing automakers to build plug-ins on a large scale. Even though they agree that plug-in electric vehicles are a good idea, few have committed to mass s toy cars made in japan production. "They're not convinced, or they are still in a business as usual mode," he says. "They don't how to draw cars understand that the world around them is changing and these things are going to my italian friend sells cars have to happen."
Despite Kramer's handicapped pedal extenders for cars criticisms, automakers and industry experts say he century city rental cars is a pioneer in spreading the gospel of plug-ins. "It wasn't until Felix came along that they got some traction, because he's a promoter," says Andy Frank, a mechanical engineering professor at the cable cars University of California, Davis, who built the first hybrid vehicle in 1972.
Mark Duvall, program manager of electric transportation at Palo Alto, Calif.-based EPRI, says Kramer has become synonymous with light bulbs for cars plug-ins. "If you want to find out the Daily jumpstarting cars Kos or the most prominent source of public fancy cars info about plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, it's Calcars," he says.
Still, some experts warn black value on used cars that Kramer isn't an engineer. He claims that plug-ins can get 100 miles per gallon, but Frank says this is misleading and what products ruin cars paint consumers should instead think about how much less all about cars gasoline they are using. "If a conventional car uses 700 gallons of gas rubber band cars per year, you could reduce that to 70 gallons per year used cars sales and reposesion ohio in a plug-in electric hybrid vehicle," Frank says.
Kramer's activism dates back to the Vietnam War. In the repossessed cars for sale 1970s, he founded new hybrid cars a trade association that promoted solar and other types of renewable energy. He also ran a desktop publishing business to pay the bills. In 2001, Kramer sold his business and decided to future plug in hybrid cars focus on environmental issues full time.
He looked into fuel luxury cars for rent in seattle cell technology first, but quickly discovered it was a far-off reality. rental cars australia Plug-in hybrids, however, had near-term jason hughes race cars potential because the technology and infrastructure to support them is already available.
Kramer also has lots of help these days pushing plug-ins. Co-Op America, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable businesses, disney cars printable invitations is promoting an "Adopt-a-Dealer" program that petitions auto dealers to also sell plug-in cars. Google.org, the rental cars oshkosh wi Internet giant's philanthropic arm, is cars and girls testing six plug-in vehicles in the company's corporate fleet and cars online plans to include up to 100 jay leno s cars vehicles. The City of Austin, Texas, is a founding member of Plug-In Partners, a coalition of businesses, city and state governments and utilities that are testing plug-in hybrids. And San Jose, Calif., just unveiled a few plug-in hybrid vehicle charging stations.
All these efforts, Kramer says, has "helped to create a grass-roots demand toy cars for a new product. It didn't come from a company or from the government, it came from people saying, 'This is what music about cars we want. Build it for us.' "
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