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Thought I'd share this latest info here first...

July 21 and 22 in Madison, Wisconsin, Hybridfest (http://www.hybridfest.com)promises to be the largest public gathering of Plug-in Hybrid
Electric Vehicles to Date. There is also a PHEV conversion tentatively
scheduled to be performed on site! The list so far:

1. Prius PHEV - Todd Dore and Fox Valley Electric Auto Association,
"GrayPearl," EAA-PHEV/Manzanita Micro-style (#21 on Cal Cars list.
http://www.calcars.org/where-phevs-are.html)

2. Prius PHEV - Horacio Calvento, "Dual-PWR," EAA-PHEV/Manzanita
Micro-style, Long Island Prius Owners Group. (#26 on Cal Cars list)

3. Prius PHEV - Wisconsin Public Power Inc. (WPPI) by Hymotion (#43 on Cal
Cars list)

4. Saturn VUE Green Line PHEV - Argonne Labs. Through The Road Parallel
Hybrid. Research platform.

5. G-Volt PHEV - Argonne Labs. Series hybrid with 10w hour battery . Chevy
Volt hybrid specs on Geo research platform. Vehicle to Grid capable.

6. In addition, Wisconsin Public Power Inc (WPPI) is scheduled to have
another one of their stock Priuses converted to a PHEV by Hymotion on site
on Sunday afternoon.

Hybridfest 2007 will include:
*Hybrid Owners Car Showcase - This year's goal: 200 Hybrids on site!
*Hybrid car test drives.
*Exciting and interesting exhibitors.
*Door prizes.
*Hybrid and environmental speakers.
*Hybridfest All-Hybrid Car Display Awards.
*Hybridfest People's Choice Awards.
*Hybridfest MPG Challenge (for Members).
*Lots of time for hybrid car owner camaraderie!

If you plan on going, talk more about it on this CleanMPG thread. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/events-and-gatherings/t-so-whos-going-to-hybridfest-2k7-3678.html)

Thanks Eric

A bit hard to get there from Japan but it is certainly nice to read about afterwards.
Look forward to reading the CleanMPG review of the WPPI Prius.
It is also nice to see GM getting in on the action. BLTN

"Through the road parallel hybrid" sounds intriguing. Electric trams spring to mind.

Good Luck
Andrew

The Moovada is a "through-the-road” 4-wheel drive hybrid, meaning that a biodiesel engine runs the front two wheels, and an electric engine runs the rear wheels.

I was thinking more of an electrified strip running down the freeway lane with an inductive coupler suspended from the underneath the car. Would not need to worry about battery range. Ahh well back to dreaming

Thanks Andrew

I normally would not post an entire article, but the subscription thingy has me worried about access

______________________________

from The Capital Times 6/28/07

Plug-in electric hybrid vehicles will be the focus of the second annual Hybridfest, which again is being held in conjunction with the Dane County Fair.

Thanks to their extra batteries, plug-ins can travel up to about 40 miles per day solely on electric power, enabling those who don't drive much to all but forget filling up their gas tank. (Non plug-in hybrids charge while the car is decelerating and at a stop.)

Plug-ins do draw power from power plants, but that results in less greenhouse gas emissions than from direct burning of gasoline. And since the charging typically is done at night when power demand is well below day-time peaks, a big jump in plug-in use wouldn't mean a need for new power plants.

Eric Powers, founder of the Madison Hybrid Group and an organizer of Hybridfest, sees plug-in hybrids as a bridge to the future of all electric or hydrogen vehicles.
"I think it really is the next progression" in vehicle technology, Powers said. "In my opinion, people will think, Gosh, I'm driving so much on the electric, why am I also lugging around this gasoline engine?' "

Companies sell conversion kits to turn regular hybrids into plug-ins, and Toyota and General Motors are embracing the technology. However, conversions are costly, and automakers need to improve the technology before it can come close to being mainstream.

Hybridfest, which will be two days (July 21-22) this year after just one day last year, is expected to feature the largest gathering of plug-in hybrids ever, Powers said.
He said he has received tentative confirmation that Wisconsin Public Power Inc. will convert one of its Priuses into a plug-in at Hybridfest on July 22.
Located last year outside the fairgrounds in the south parking lot by the Rusk Street entrance, Hybridfest this year is moving into the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall on the fairgrounds.

That means it no longer will be free -- admission is $6 for adults -- but there are added benefits.

"It makes a lot of sense," Powers said. "Where we were located last year, although it was nice, we still were kind of off the beaten path. There may have been people going to the fair who walked right by it not realizing what was going on. And the reality is, sponsors want to bring in big items and they want power. We couldn't get power out there last year."

In addition to more hybrids, Hybridfest also will feature biodiesel vehicles, electric bikes and neighborhood electric vehicles, as well as free hybrid test drives, Powers said.

All seminars are open to the public and there will be larger displays. Details are available at www.hybridfest.com (http://www.hybridfest.com).

And Toyota will be sending its "Highway to the Future," which Powers calls a "semi that's really a traveling museum" of hybrid technology, alternative fuels and the environment. For details, go to www.highwaytothefuture.com (http://www.highwaytothefuture.com).

With the move to the fairgrounds and increased interest in hybrids as gasoline costs remain high, Powers expects Hybridfest attendance to dwarf last year's.

"I think hybrid interest has only grown," he said, "and we still year after year answer the same questions: Do you have to plug-in regular hybrids? Are they underpowered? Can I go 55 in them? How often do you have to replace the battery? And that's really the point of the show: Come and learn more about it so that we can get rid of those myths."

People who pay $30 to become Hybridfest members -- there is a link on the Hybridfest Web site -- can attend a half-day of activities just for members.
And there will be a "Hot Rods and Hybrids" event open to the public on July 20 from 5-9 p.m. at Quaker Steak and Lube in Middleton.

Hi Eric:

___What a nice write-up. I will take it to the home page myself!

___Chuck, great find.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

flash only, hmmph. when the F are they ever gonna learn...
.
_H*

The HF article was posted here:
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/in-the-news/t-a-fuel-savers-dream-5234.html

Hi Tarabell:

___Thanks for the heads up and also a great find! I liked the pic of Billy’s Insight too :)

___Good Luck

___Wayne