A fuel savers' dream: Hybridfest plugged in with county fair

Friday, June 29, 2007

From an article by Jeff Richgels in The Capital Times:

Plug-in electric hybrid vehicles will be the focus of the second annual Hybridfest, which again is being held in conjunction with the Dane County Fair.

Thanks to their extra batteries, plug-ins can travel up to about 40 miles per day solely on electric power, enabling those who don't drive much to all but forget filling up their gas tank. (Non plug-in hybrids charge while the car is decelerating and at a stop.)

Plug-ins do draw power from power plants, but that results in less greenhouse gas emissions than from direct burning of gasoline. And since the charging typically is done at night when power demand is well below day-time peaks, a big jump in plug-in use wouldn't mean a need for new power plants.

Eric Powers, founder of the Madison Hybrid Group and an organizer of Hybridfest, sees plug-in hybrids as a bridge to the future of all electric or hydrogen vehicles.