Berkeley joins clamor for plug-in hybrid vehicles

By Emmett Berg, Bay City News Service

October 31, 2006

Berkeley is the latest Bay Area government to promise purchase of a fleet of plug-in hybrid vehicles once an automaker begins producing such cars commercially, city leaders announced today.

Berkeley's "soft order" for 40 plug-in hybrids is similar to a decision last month by Marin County to place a "soft order" for 22 of the vehicles. The order is called "soft" because carmakers don't currently make plug-in hybrids.

"With Marin, Berkeley and other soft orders being placed around the country, automakers can no longer deny the growing demand for plug-in vehicles," said Jodie Van Horn, coordinator of the advocacy organization Plug-In Bay Area.

To make a plug-in model, the Palo Alto-based California Cars Initiative has individually modified hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius by adding additional batteries and a conventional power plug.

Motorists can drive those modified plug-in hybrids up to 100 miles on electricity alone, advocates said, which more than doubles the current fuel efficiency of a Prius, at about 45-50 miles per gallon.

Advocates say plug-ins could make driving around town an all-electric, zero-emissions experience, while maintaining the capacity to burn gasoline on longer-distance trips.

"Plug-in hybrids will help our city save money and improve air quality while contributing to national efforts to break our oil addiction," Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates said. "I encourage the automakers to start building these innovative vehicles soon so that we can turn this soft order into a real one."

In addition to Berkeley and Marin County, other Bay Area agencies and governments supporting the goals of plug-in vehicles include San Francisco, Alameda, Oakland, the Sonoma County Water Agency and Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

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