Posted on 05/29/2006 9:21:14 AM PDT by BlueSky194
Felix Kramer is on a mission, one that carried him and his new plug-in Toyota Prius hybrid to the steps of Capitol Hill. There he and representatives of Electro Energy, which brought along their own plug-in Prius, showcased to some of Washington's most powerful politicians, from Orrin Hatch to Hilary Clinton, technology that can help make America less dependent on petroleum: cars that can get 100 mpg.
The event -- organized by SetAmericaFree.Org -- was planned to coincide with an announced summit between the White House and Detroit's beleaguered carmakers. Although the meeting was postponed at the last minute by the Bush Administration until June 2nd, Kramer and company, along with auto industry chief executives, traveled to the U.S. capital to lobby lawmakers and testify before Congress.
EV World talked with Kramer about the historic event -- more photos of which are available here -- to get his impressions and perspective.
Ethanol Isn't Enough For the auto companies making the rounds in Washington, the message from GM and Ford was we're doing E85, which is a relatively cheap fix of less than $200 per car and according to Kramer, "lets them off of the hook for the next ten years." While he favors ethanol, it alone isn't enough to seriously address America's oil addiction when the nation consumes 140 billion gallons of gasoline annually, while producing just under 5 billion gallons of ethanol.
"If you fuel the local miles with electricity, then you need only 40 billion gallons," he said. "That's really an achievable goal."
He went on to explain how his small, three-person team at California Cars Initiative worked with Electro Energy, a Danbury, Connecticut firm that has developed a technology to improve NiMH batteries for use in plug-in hybrids, to create yet another plug-in Prius, bringing the total in the North America to more than half a dozen.
"The reason we did this process at time when everybody is really talking about lithium ion batteries is that we think there is still life in nickel metal hydride batteries; and we, in particular, think that it is really important to show the world and show Detroit that nickel metal hydride batteries make really good plug-in hybrids, because? the last objection that carmakers have is that? the batteries aren't ready? [and] lithium ion is unproved. There is a certain element to truth in that you don't have? a ten year track record, but that's certainly not the case with nickel metal hydride. These are batteries that carmakers have been using for about a decade in hybrids.
"And so, we wanted to show a lithium ion car, the Energy CS car that is my car, the car I drive every day, and this NiMH car from Connecticut. It was a great combination to have those two cars there."
Kramer explained that there is a slight difference in the low-speed, electric-only range of the two cars: Electro Energy's NiMH car will do about 20 miles, while the Energy CS -- equipped with Valence Saphion lithium ion batteries -- will do between 25-30 miles as long as the speed is below 35 mph, at which point Toyota's computer control system will switch on the gasoline engine.
He emphasized that he doesn't want to give the impression that people have to drive these cars slow in order to benefit from their increased performance. He explained that when driving the first 50-60 miles (presumably in urban traffic), the cars will be operating half the time in electric mode and half the time on gasoline, hence the description of the cars at 100+ mpg.
By his calculation, some 10 U.S. Senators and more than a dozen members of the House of Representatives, as well as New York Governor Pataki and former CIA director James Woolsey, got to experience the cars, either driving, riding or viewing them.
Kramer said they were all "thrilled", noting that several days later, Senator Clinton mentioned the cars in a major policy speech on energy security at the National Press Club.
A major reason for having the plug-in hybrids on Capitol Hill was to give tangible credence to the Set America Free Fuel Choices for American Security Act, which is a bipartisan and bi-cameral bill working its way through Congress, that is designed to provide incentives for various fuel saving strategies, including flexible fuel, plug-in hybrids." Kramer said quite a few members of Congress have signed on to the bill and that its sponsors are determined to see it through to law. This is only one of a number of proposals designed to promote less dependence on imported oil, which accounts for 60 percent of U.S. oil consumption.
While the CalCar founder didn't officially testify before the Congress, he was acknowledged by Congresswoman Judy Biggert during one of the hearings. He invited the committee members to come drive the cars, noting that he'd "brought along his infrastructure" -- a well-placed barb against proponents of hydrogen. He held up a short length of electrical cord, one end wired with a conventional 110 volt plug and on the other a twist-type plug that connects to the car. He referred to it as a "dongle," a popular term around his Silicon Valley home, which often refers to a small electronic device used to protect access to computers. Photos from the event suggest that his "dongle" was popular with the politicians.
EV World's interview with Felix Kramer is just over 25 minutes in length. We encourage you listen to it in its entirety using either of the two MP3 players available on this page or by downloading it to your hard drive for playback on your favorite MP3 device. The interview will also be available on the Apple iTunes service.
I'm oblivious to the likes of these? What is it? What does it cost?
Nuclear power. however. would go nicely with this.
Cool Machine, thought about it a lot.
Nice lines, enough power to be useful
Yamaha Morphous 249cc DOHC four-stroke
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/479/0/home.aspx
LOL! I hear this as well.:-)
My hand was physically shaking as I wrote the check out for the Vette. (I don't do car payments)
Yeah, I was looking up a lot of info. The thing does over 75 MPH. There seems to be a few complaints about the low windshield.
A bit pricey, though. I can get a used Ninja-like bike for less than three grand at Craig's List.
Just waiting on some extra $$$.
Hybrid technology is a gimmick. Diesel engines are more sensible, less complex and equally if not more efficient.
A VW polo witha 1.1 liter engine is the most efficient mass-produced car in the world. It doesn't have a lot of power, but you only fill it up 10 times a year.
Combined with particle filters (cost about $600 extra) turbo diesel engines would reduce American fuel consumption by 25% and still give the same amount of power.
Problem is, the envirwackos have a thing against diesel. Rightfully so until you add the filters. But the filters are there and they are cost-effective.
And, they are German technology :0)
I forgot to add, you can burn biodiesel grown by American farmers in them without much problem at all.
Same here. We are fortunate now to have no debt, except for credit cards we pay off each month. I had 25K to pay for a car, and the Prius appealed to my fondness for gadgets. Put in a GPS and XM radio and I have plenty to distract me into a fatality so my wife and kids can get the life insurance.
"If I'm lucky, the hybrid will have started to pay for itself in gas savings in about 10 years."
But, by then you'll have to buy a $3000 battery replacement.
There was some dude testifying in DC last week about how there are very serious plans being formulated for 22? nuclear plants by 2010 or so.
Cool. I know there were a lot more practical cars out there.
But a car that can do 0-60 in 4 seconds and has a top end of 200mph? And a Corvette? Could not pass this one up. I got the C6 with every single option. The options alone were an extra 18K. Also the handling capabilities of this thing are out of this world.
I added (after buying the car) tuned stainless headers with fast cats, Forced air induction, 14" crossdrilled and slotted rotors with ceramic pads and stainless brake lines on all 4 wheels, Stiffer sway bars (there was too much lean in the corners), stainless steel and ceramic sandwiched tunnel plate, Engine oil cooler, and a power steering cooler. (The tranny already had a cooler)
This added almost 50 more horses and prob 20-50 lbs of torque on a car that already had stock 400/400 horses/torque (ft.lbs)
I intend to track this thing on weekends and drive it on weekdays. :-)
Nuclear power BUMP! Gotta have it!
"It's got features like a refrigeratable glove box, foldable seats, lighted cup holders and fold-down rear-seat speakers."
All of which would keep me from buying any car with them.
"A 'Vette is a hard-earned toy; a Prius is a political statement."
A Veette is a real automobile, a Prius is equivalant to a Tonka Toy.
"My hand was physically shaking as I wrote the check out for the Vette. (I don't do car payments)"
A Vette is the best bsrgain in the market.
Mine has a:
Heads-up display on the windscreen
Travelling GPS Map with LCD screen that ties to my heads up display for nav
Voice commands (and the Vette talks back to me)
Dual climate control
6 way power heated seats
Xm satellite radio
Cd and DVD
Homelink
Pushbutton start
Keyless operation. Not even the doors - all in the FOB
Indexed windows
Dual roof (one glass) - love the glass roof
Magnesium/aluminum frame
Titanium caliper shields
Carbon/Kevlar in the engine bay
Xenon HID headlights
etc.
Thanks!
I love this car.
(Wrap your a$$ in fiberglass) :-)
I sure hope so!
Yours is a toy - and a cool one at that. You don't drive it 50 miles to and from work. There is a difference and peopleneed to be aware of that.
When the British cut down all of their trees, they stopped burning wood in their fireplaces and switched to coal. The didnt use coal at first because the technology didnt exist and there was a better alternative.
Still, people like to burn wood in fireplaces because they enjoy it - not to keep themselves warm.
It seems to me, we will soon be differentiating between vehicles used for transportation and those used for fun. Otherwise we are going to lose the war on terror because we are financing both sides.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.