Quick Takes |
News flashes: |
• National Plug In Day This Weekend + Update on DrivingElectric.org • The State of the Plug-In Campaign & The Future of DrivingElectric View the news archive here |
Get our 1-5 message/month newsletter: |
Books on PHEVs |
Read about and order books on PHEVs.
There's one entire book and sections of almost three dozen others on the technology
and the successful campaign. |
Of course, we still have a ways to go to make sure they succeed. See what's next for Founder Felix Kramer and Technology Lead Ron Gremban.
Here's how we described CalCars and Plug-in Hybrids:
Plug-in Hybrids Use Cheaper, Cleaner, Domestic Energy. CalCars is a non-profit startup of entrepreneurs, engineers, environmentalists and consumers. Starting in 2002, we promoted plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) with large batteries. Local miles are powered partly or fully by electricity from standard plugs, and liquid fuel provides infinite range. PHEVs tackle energy security, jobs and global warming -- all at once. We built the world's first plug-in Prius. We helped spark a successful campaign to bring PHEVs to market and gain incentives. In 2009, we declared victory as mass production of PHEVs started with the Chevy Volt, which arrived in November 2010. Since then, many other PHEVs and "EREVs" (extended range electric vehicles) have arrived.
We also promoted (without great success) safe, affordable, warrantied conversions of large gas-guzzlers to PHEVs and EVs. A new global industry could convert millions of vehicles to accelerate getting off fossil fuels. And in 2012, we started DrivingElectric.org, a new collaborative effort to enable plug-in drivers to show EV-curious people how great (and fun) the new cars are, but that project is in hibernation.
If you want to get involved in promoting plug-ins, contact PlugInAmerica.org or the nearest chapter of the Electric Auto Association.