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PermalinkWednesday, February 7, 2007
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Aired 4/19/09
The spike in gas prices to more than $3 a gallon last year sparked interest in hybrid vehicles. But, as KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce tells us, some newer hybrid cars aren't available to the public.
President Bush has set a goal of reducing gasoline use in the United States by 20 percent over the next ten years. Bush called for more plug-in hybrid vehicles. Plug-in's are electric cars with large batteries and small gas engines. Frank Falcone is a graduate student in San Diego State University's mechanical engineering department. He's part of a team that designed an alternative-fuel car. Falcone says we could see more plug-in's on U.S. highways in the near future.
Falcone: Plug-in hybrid could become a mainstay, a staple of our vehicles.
Falcone says whether plug-in's will be available to buy depends on the auto industry. Major automakers are working on plug-in hybrids. Federal officials say yearly fuel costs for hybrids are about $700 less than conventional cars. Hybrids also generate less pollution. Ed Joyce, KPBS News.
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