Waiting for the Electric Car

Recommended QUEST Resources

• Producer's Notes: Waiting for the Electric Car

  Plug-in hybrids run for a certain distance on batteries. So far, hackers have been able to create plug-in hybrids that run for about 10 miles on batteries. After that, they revert to standard hybrid operation, which uses gas and electricity.
  
  Read more of QUEST TV Producer Gabriela Quirós' blog post on the KQED QUEST Community Science Blog.

• Plug-In Hybrid Cars

  A group of Bay Area engineers is trying to launch a green car revolution at 100 mpg by souping up Toyota's Prius. The holy grail of their "plug-in hybrids:" less smog, less global warming and a cure for America's oil addiction.

• Robot Car Race

  It's one of the most unusual car races in the world. In the DARPA Grand Challenge, the cars drive themselves - no remote controls needed. And the contest is not a game. It could change the way all of us drive.

• Cash for Clunkers

  How would you like the government to help you buy a newer, more fuel-efficient set of wheels? That's the idea behind a so-called Cash for Clunkers program that Congress is considering. But is it a boon for the environment or just a hand-out to Detroit automakers? The plan is not so novel. California has had a similar program for a decade.

• Where's my Hydrogen Highway?

  Five years ago, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his vision for the Hydrogen Highway, an ambitious program that promised to launch an alternative energy revolution in California. Right now, that highway is not as smooth as planners had hoped and government funding is in danger of drying up.

Additional Links

• Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Research Center at UC Davis

  Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Resource Center Page.

• Greencar.com

  A source for information on electric cars, hybrids and more.

• Hybridcars.com

  Auto alternatives for the 21st Century.

• In the News:

  From Reuters--Breakthrough in Lithium Ion Battery Technology to Revolutionize the Plug in Hybrid.