Alternative fuel vehicles go on tour

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina State University and the NC Solar Center are taking a group of alternative fuel cars on tour in an effort to educate the public.

The groups say the alternative fuels cars could help the economy and reduce our nation’s dependency on foreign oil.

“Driving Clean and Green: A North Carolina Tour” features 32 cars that run on natural gas, propane, electricity or bio-fuels. The caravan will stop in Greensboro and Charlotte on Thursday.

The tour will also feature hybrid vehicles, including trucks and a school bus.

Some small cars on display at the kickoff event Wednesday at N.C. State on Wednesday run only on electricity and can haul up to 1,000 pounds with no engine needed.

“You basically got tires and batteries, that’s it," said John Yoxtheimer, of Carolina Industrial Equipment.

The vehicles start at $20,000, can go up to 25 mph and cost a few cents to charge.

A plug-in SUV on display claims to get 100 miles per gallon.

“It is very possible you could use that vehicle for whole week and the engine never comes on,” said Joe O’Neill, a clean transportation specialist at the Solar Center.

Heavy duty hybrid Volvo trucks are designed to utilize power hook-ups, but truck stops don't offer them.

“We would potentially save a billion gallons in diesel fuel,” said Skip Yeakel, of Volvo Trucks.

5 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

5 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments.

Latest Comments

colliedave, we're trying to stop giving Saudi's and other "wonderful" countries our hard-earned American moolah. You in? :-)

NO...we have enough oil within our borders to be energy independent for the next 50 years. It it the environmentalist wackos that prevent the drilling for that oil.

You have drunk enough of the Gore-aide that teaches man is repsonible for climate change and believe the doctrine that wants to put all but the enviromentally-elite into little put-put cars. They can pay for their sins against the Earth by paying indulgences to the Church of Albore.

colliedave
April 16, 2009 12:22 p.m.

US car manufacturers complain that the sale of hybrids etc are not high enough to be profitable so they have little interest. Well, except for those hybrids produced by Saturn, the cars they are offering are just way too expensive. Who wants to pay $30-40K for a small car? Get real and start selling hybrids in the low $20K range. Saturn has it right but GM is too blind to see.

White Eagle
April 16, 2009 9:53 a.m.

colliedave, we're trying to stop giving Saudi's and other "wonderful" countries our hard-earned American moolah. You in? :-)

And there are plenty of electric cars that fly! It's called "torque" and it's available instantly...unlike gas engine, mechanical transmission & drivetrain machines.

Just youtube "Tzero vs" and you'll see it beat vettes, Vipers, Ferrari's & Porsche's. Or, the Tango, that does 0-60 in 4 seconds...12 sec 1/4 mile...and has a 200MPH SCCA/NHRA rollcage.

hereandnow99
April 16, 2009 9:26 a.m.

The vehicles start at $20,000, can go up to 25 mph and cost a few cents to charge

In essence, a modified golf-cart? At that speed one would be a traffic hazzard on most city streets and highways.

colliedave
April 16, 2009 8:59 a.m.

No love for the eastern part of the state?

joeyrn
April 16, 2009 8:52 a.m.