Posted on 09/19/2009 4:38:49 AM PDT by iowamark
America, are you ready for Rush Limbaugh in an electric car?
The conservative talk show host has agreed to take Jay Leno's "Green Car Challenge."
In the segment airing next Thursday on NBC's "Jay Leno Show," Limbaugh will race an electric Ford Focus around a custom-built track beside Leno's studio, the show's representative confirmed.
The "Green Car Challenge" segment makes its debut on the primetime show tomorrow night. Celebrities who participate drive two times around the twisty track, which takes a little less than a minute to complete.
By the time Rush gets behind the wheel of the zero-emission vehicle, Bob Costas, Al Michaels and Drew Barrymore will have set times to beat.
Limbaugh is not a fan of hybrid and electric cars. Last March he criticized such vehicles -- including Ford's.
"Nobody's buying 'em. Nobody wants them. The manufacturers are making them in droves to satisfy Obama. ... People are going to buy [hybrids] because Obama's going to see to it the price [of gas] gets back up to four bucks, since that is the tipping point … Ford and Toyota are manufacturing all kinds of new hybrids to keep politicians happy. Politics. You want to know what killed the auto industry? Politics.”
Leno has been interested in getting more newsmakers on his new program than on "The Tonight Show." On his second night he welcomed Michael Moore into the studio.
The advertiser-friendly "Green Car Challenges" allows NBC to work product sponsorship into the program, though some critics have wondered whether the segment will also be entertaining.
The only time that you notice any difference is when you are stopped - the gasoline engine actually shuts off. NOTE: If you are sitting at a stoplight with the engine running you are getting zero mpg. As soon as you take your foot off the brake pedal, the engine re-starts instantly and off you go.
Regenerative braking is used to re-charge the battery pack.
The only sacrifice is that the rear seat does not fold down (they put the battery pack there).
AND, how long will it take to recharge them? AND, what motel will we be staying at while we wait for that recharging?
Nobody talks about this!
I don’t like little cars, but the day Ford makes an F350 diesel electric without cutting the power, or charging an arm and a leg, I’ll buy it. In fact they should boost the power with it, and keep fuel mileage the same, that’d make me happy.
The best thing that they’re starting to do is make hybrid SUV’s, but all the enviros still complain.
‘Green’ is the new communist world governance, movement. Don’t believe me? Research it yourself.
I agree with you, but I also believe in technological progress.
That's because your gasoline-electric hybrid comes with two important words ahead of the label hybrid: Honda Accord.
A diesel-electric hybrid powertrain would be fantastic.
“zero-emission vehicle”
Cliche/Myth #221 of the “Progressives”.The emissions are just moved from the tailpipe to the power plant downtown.
I live in a farming community and you cannot haul hay, machinery or your bass boat with an electric car. We also have hills and it snows a lot.
Deception is the name of the game in “zero-emission vehicles”.
If Leno really wanted to do a “Green Car Challenge” he’d take the “zero-emission vehicle” from the Burbank studio, drive it up to the Angeles Crest Highway near Pasadena, then down the winding road towards Wrightwood, then down the Cajon pass to I-10, for the return.
A “zero-emission vehicle” would never make it. THAT would be good TV - probably a 150 mile circuit, it’s “only” 150 miles? a ZEV should be able to do that, right?
The Toyota, Ford, and the latest generation of GM hybrids use a more complex system. However, that system gives them a distinct advantage in start/stop and slow driving which can be done in electric only mode. The result is that their fuel consumption is MUCH LOWER in urban traffic.
It's a trade off.
Agreed. The first Honda car I bought was in 1975. I ordered it in orange and it came in yellow. Took it anyway. I put over 200,000 miles on it. Have owned hondas ever since. Great cars, great customer service.
Did you watch it last night? It was awful and I kept watching expecting the show to get better........ and it didn’t. Never again.
Thnaks. Just curious.
Rush will have his chauffeur drive while he rides shotgun, smoking a cigar.
No, I taped the first show and wasn’t too impressed. I might tape the Rush episode just to see how Jay treats him.
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