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Science Committee Shines Spotlight on Hybrid Cars

May 17, 2006

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Brad Sherman, a leading proponent of hybrid cars that use less gasoline and reduce pollution, said on Wednesday that plug-in hybrids with rechargeable batteries may be the next wave in automobile technology.

œWith gas prices soaring to more than $3 a gallon, Sherman said, œfuel-efficient, environment-friendly cars that get more than 100 miles per gallon could be the cars of the future.

Sherman is a member of the House Science Committee, which is considering legislation to offer incentives to encourage the development of the next generation of hybrid vehicles.

The committee heard Wednesday from a panel of experts, including Dr. Andrew Frank, a professor at the University of California, Davis. He said plug-in hybrids œtake hybrid technology and make it more efficient with a better transmission, bigger battery pack and smaller engine. Frank, director of the universitys Hybrid Electric Research Center, said plug-in hybrids could roll off assembly lines before the end of the decade.

Since plug-in hybrids combine traditional internal combustion motors with battery power, motorists have the option of going on long trips of unlimited range or using electric power for shorter commutes. The batteries are charged at night using a standard household outlet. If a trip drains the batteries, the car automatically switches over to gasoline power.

Electric energy is cheaper than gas, according to the California Cars Initiative, a group of entrepreneurs, environmentalists and engineers. CalCars calculated that electricity costs about one-third the current price of gasoline.

Congress Sherman previously sponsored legislation to encourage hybrid vehicles that was incorporated into a highway bill Congress passed last year. It cleared the way for California and other states to let hybrid vehicles use car-pool lanes on freeways when the state determined there was extra capacity.