Who isn’t racing to build a hybrid?

Which one of these companies is not working on a hybrid car?

• Chrysler
• Ford
• GM
• Google
• Toyota
• Honda

If you didn’t know Google has it’s fingers in the alternative fuels pie, you’re not alone. Technically speaking, in this case it’s Google.org, the philanthropic that is funding efforts to develop plug-in hybrids.  And they have been for a long time.

A little over a year ago it was reported that Google.org had given out more than $1 million dollars through their RechargeIT program. It went to developers promoting awareness of the new technology as well as to funding technological improvements as well.

Under the RechargeIT program. Google.org took four Toyota Priuses and two Ford Escapes and converted them into plug-in hybrids. There goal was to use this as a test fleet to better understand the capabilities of the technology in the real world.

The company that supplied the conversion modules for Google’s cars was Hymotion. The company began accepting orders for consumer converstions in April, 2008. Their charge for converting a Toyota Prius is $9,995.

In March of 2008, Google. org launched the RechargeIT blog to track the progress of the experiment.  Some of the results reported are very technical, some not so. The bottom line is that all the vehicles in their study show some pretty impressive miles per gallon gains, good environmental (CO2) impacts, and some very affordable general driving and maintenance costs.  Up to a point.

The test vehicles generally get the equivalent of better than 90 miles per gallon. However, they have a very low range of only 30-40 miles. They also only run on electric power when held to very low speeds under 35 mph.

Plug-in hybrids are generally not considered by anyone to be a “final answer” in the search for renewable and usable alternative fuels. There are still some heavy environmental costs considering that most electricity is generated by coal fired plants. Google. org is also funding programs on that side of the coin, investing in solar and wind power development.

Tags: 1 Million Dollars, Alternative Fuels, Bottom Line, Coal Fired Plants, Conversion Modules, Converstions, Electricity, Environmental Costs, Final Answer, Ford Escapes, Google, Hybrid Car, Maintenance Costs, New Technology, Plug In Hybrids, Prius, Technological Improvements, Test Vehicles, Toyota Prius, Toyota Priuses