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A 'Bettah!' Way: New Web 'Toon Touts Benefits of Plug-In Hybrid Cars Americans for Energy Independence Teams with CalCars.org for Online Animation

LOS ANGELES, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Fed up with high prices at the gas pump? Sick of contributing to Global Warming? Ready for an alternative to your gas-guzzler, but worried how it will impact your ability to get from here to there? Worry no more, there is indeed something "Bettah!" - Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles. Americans for Energy Independence is helping spread the word about these electric/gasoline-powered vehicles by co-sponsoring the new online animation, "Bettah!"

"Bettah!" is an amusing 90-second web cartoon that traces how, "since the dawn of time," humans have strived to make good things "Bettah!," culminating in Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles. Similar to (but "Bettah!" than) standard hybrids, Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles feature larger, longer-lasting batteries and the ability to re-charge from a standard outlet. They offer electrically powered local travel, but with an unlimited gasoline range. The "Bettah!" animation can be viewed from http://www.ei2025.org or http://www.bettah.org.

Conceived by CalCars.org, the California Cars Initiative, "Bettah!" is intended to raise public awareness of Plug-In Hybrids and to encourage the public to increase demand for them from business, government, and the media. Americans for Energy Independence co-sponsored "Bettah!" as part of their own efforts to inform the public of the available solutions to the U.S.'s reliance on foreign oil to meet its energy needs. "We're delighted to co-sponsor the 'Bettah!' animation," says Americans for Energy Independence President Chris Wolfe. "We hope 'Bettah!' will entertain, educate and motivate people to ask why solutions like high-MPG low-emission cars are not being more aggressively pursued."

Wolfe warns that depending on foreign oil imports has drastic consequences for the nation, "We spend more than $250 billion a year on imported oil. Oil price and availability dictate the value of our stock markets and retirement portfolios." Noting that the transportation sector is responsible for nearly 70% of American oil consumption, Wolfe further explains, "Every time we fill up our cars, we transfer a greater part of our personal and national wealth to questionable governments."

Wolfe says CalCars.org's efforts can be a key aspect of a national solution, "Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles offer us a way of lowering our dependence on foreign oil while retaining a part of our way-of-life that we all enjoy."

CalCars.org founder Felix Kramer says he's pleased that Americans for Energy Independence is supporting his organization's efforts to spread the word about Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles. "It's great to team with them to fight for a cleaner, more energy-efficient future - a 'Bettah!' future, you might say. We're looking forward to continued collaboration in bringing the American people 100+ MPG vehicles."

Both Wolfe and Kramer urge the public to get involved and take action, to make the demand for energy independence and for Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles heard by public and corporate officials.

CalCars.org is seeking 100,000 signatures on a petition to carmakers calling for more plug-in hybrids. The petition is also available at http://www.bettah.org. Americans for Energy Independence urges signing their own petition calling for politicians to adopt a 20-year plan to achieve independence from foreign oil. The petition, details of the plan and many more energy-independence resources are available at http://www.ei2025.org.

Americans for Energy Independence, Inc. is a non-profit California corporation located in Studio City, California. Its mission is to utilize the mass media to alert Americans to current and potential dangers of the country's dependence on foreign oil to meet its national energy needs, to raise awareness of the benefits of becoming energy independent, and to propose and encourage solutions, strategies and citizen action that can lead to a future of American energy independence. For more information, access the organization's website: http://www.ei2025.org.

Contact: Chris Wolfe Phone: 818-508-8119 Fax: 818-508-8119 E-mail: cwolfe@...