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Science
Friday > Archives
> 2001
> May
> May 18, 2001:
Hour One: Hybrid Cars
| President Bush unveiled his administration's new energy
policy Thursday. The 163-page report included over 100 proposals
for items ranging from expanding the role of nuclear power to exploring
for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Among the initiatives was a proposal for $4 billion in tax cuts
to promote the sale of hybrid cars, energy-efficient autos that
combine multiple means of propulsion. Currently, there are only
a few hybrids on the market. Toyota's Prius and Honda's Insight,
two gas-electric hybrids, are available to consumers. By combining
electric motors with an efficient gas-powered engine, they get
as much as 68 miles per gallon of gasoline, compared to 49 mpg
for the Volkswagen New Beetle, a diesel car, and 42 mpg for the
Suzuki Swift.
Other manufacturers are currently developing hybrids of their
own. Ford plans to sell the Escape, a hybrid electric sport utility
vehicle, starting in 2003. Ford estimates that the Escape will
get about 40 mpg in city driving - a far cry above today's SUVs.
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Two currently available hybrid cars - the Honda Insight (top)
and the Toyota Prius (bottom). American
Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Sales USA / PRN
images.
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In this hour, we'll talk about the hybrids already on the market, and
take a look down the road to see what auto manufacturers are cooking
up in their design shops. Will the Bush tax credit for hybrids be the
shot in the arm the hybrid market needs? Call in with your thoughts
and comments at 1-800-989-8255, and share your opinions online in our
Listeners' Lounge
(registration
required)
Guests:
Prabhakar Patil
Chief Engineer, Escape HEV
Ford Motor Company
Dearborn, Michigan
John DeCicco
Author, "ACEEE's
Green Book: The Environmental Guide to Cars and Trucks"
Senior Fellow, Environmental Defense
Washington, DC
John German
Manager, Environment and Energy Analyses
American Honda Motor Company
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Books/Articles Discussed:
Related Links:
Howstuffworks
"How Hybrid Cars Work"
Dept.
of Energy: Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Hybridcars.com
Partnership
for A New Generation of Vehicles
American
Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, ACEEE
2001
Fuel Economy Site
Prius
Insight
Ford
HEV
This segment produced by: Karin
Vergoth
Web Producer: Charles
Bergquist
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