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Hybridfest 2006 Powers Up in Madison
 Hybridfest
2006 Powers Up in Madison
Posted: 6:41 PM Jul 22, 2006 | Last Updated: 8:41 PM Jul 22, 2006
WMTV Madison, WI
Reporter: Dana Brueck
It's billed as the largest showcase of hybrid vehicles.
Hybridfest 2006 powered up in Madison Saturday, giving
drivers the chance to experience hybrid electric vehicles
hands-on.
"One small step on the accelerator, one giant step for
mankind," a voice says of a display at Hybridfest 2006.
"I think the car for the future today, right now, is the
hybrid. It's available," organizer Bill Robbins says.
Hybridfest 2006 offers drivers a glimpse of what's
available.
"There are ten different hybrid cars that you can buy
today on car dealer floors. Many more are planned in the
next year or two years," Robbins says.
Robbins is a hybrid car owner himself.
"We have people from Canada, people from 21 different
states have come to kind of show us their cars and show
their cars to the public," he says.
Robbins and other local hybrid fans designed the event to
educate other hybrid owners -- and the public.
"Some people think all hybrids are tiny two-seaters, or
slow, without much pickup. And those are myths. They're not
true at all," Robbins says.
Robbins says lower emissions drove him to purchase his
first hybrid back in 2003.
"You can have up to 80 percent less emissions coming off
of the tailpipe per mile compared to a standard gas-powered
car of the same size," he says.
But how much can drivers save in fuel economy?
"People who live in very urban areas, where they're
driving a lot of stop and go traffic, a hybrid vehicle can
give you up to 50 percent increase in your fuel economy over
a conventional vehicle," UW Automotive expert Glenn Bower
says.
"Mileage-wise you find most people don't quite get what
they say on the EPA mileage, but that's true for all cars,
not just hybrids. So when you have a hybrid Prius in real
world, you probably get 50 miles to gallon," Robbins says.
Still, supporters admit a hybrid is not for everybody. UW
Automotive Expert Glenn Bower works with students on
developing better hybrids.
"I commute 20 miles, at 65 mph and three miles in the
city. So, for me, carrying the extra weight of a hybrid
package doesn't really pay off in the end," Bower says.
But supporters say the faster gas prices rise, the faster
the payoff.
"Generally, a hybrid car will cost maybe three- to
four-thousand dollars more than its equivalent. With gas at
about three dollars a gallon, generally you're going to
break even with that extra cost, if you keep that car for a
good six or eight years. As gas gets more expensive, that
break even time gets even shorter," Robbins says.
Hybridfest ran Saturday only at the Dane County Fair, but
the volunteers who organized it hope to bring Hybridfest
back to Madison every year. You can learn more about the
non-profit organization behind it, at
www.hybridfest.com .
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