An Ethanol-Powered Plug-In Hybrid? Leave it to Google
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 09.14.06
As Google ramps up its innovative for-profit model of world changing, Google.org, one of their first projects will be to develop a plug-in hybrid engine that runs on both ethanol and gasoline, the New York Times reported today. Google’s philanthropic efforts are taking a novel path, harnessing the power of for-profit status to do the things that are traditionally the territory of non-profits. (see our earlier coverage of Dr. Brilliant’s work) The Google Foundation represents Google’s 501c3 non-profit, and will be beholden to those rules, but the more innovative of the two is Google.org, which will be able to make partnerships with venture firms, spark start-ups, and even do political lobbying. Tackling global public health, poverty, and climate change are Google.org’s mission. Other Google related climate news comes from Hugg.com, where Google Earth and the UNEP have employed satellite mapping software to illustrate environmental damage. :: New York Times and Hugg
Google is true to it's mission statment of "not being evil"
Sorry Google, SAAB beat you to it:
SAAB introduced the SAAB 9-3 BioPower Hybrid Convertible Concept at the 2006 Stockholm International Auto Show. It is an ethanol-powered plug-in hybrid.
However, the fact that it is a plug-in was inexplicably covered-up by parent company General Motors at the last minute. So though the car is actually a plug-in, it is not advertised. See this link for more details:
http://www.trollhattansaab.net/archives/saab_hybrid/
Scroll down the page for details on both the car itself and GM's cover-up. The top of the page has the most recent blog entries, so you may want to start at the bottom and work your way up.
I'm not sure what's meant by plug-in, but in Brazil 7 out of 10 cars sold has a hybrid ethanol-gasoline engine. And that's been going on for the past few years. All makers from FIAT to GM to FORD to VOLKS have bi-fuel models.
RE "The Google Foundation represents Google’s 501c3 non-profit"
Isn't Google Foundation a branch or division of the for-profit Google, Inc?
RE "I'm not sure what's meant by plug-in" a car that plugs into electricity to charge up batteries
RE "hybrid ethanol-gasoline engine" here in the U.S. we call this type of car a bi-fuel, flexible fuel or dual-fuel vehicle, not a hybrid. Hybrids usually mean gasoline and electric or fuel and electric here in the U.S.
So where can these sorts of engines/inexpensive cars be found in the US (e.g. in New England)? Are any actually INexpensive??
Also, earlier today NPR ran a report on what I recall were "some small scattered" companies which provide retrofitting services. Does anyone happen to know anything about retrofitters of old gasoline-engined cars and how much their kits and/or installations may cost?