Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) is asking its 5.1 million customers to petition automakers to speed up development of plug-in electric-gasoline hybrid vehicles. In an insert to their electric bill, the company is encouraging customers to visit PlugInPartners.org and make a pledge to buy such an environmentally friendly vehicle. Plug-in hybrids are feasible and have been demonstrated by converting regular hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius. Extra batteries are added to provide extra power and distance in electric-only mode. These batteries can be refueled using a regular household electrical outlet. According to EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute), half the cars on U.S. roads are driven 25 miles a day or less. Consequently, a plug-in hybrid with a 25-mile all electric range could eliminate gasoline use in the daily commute of tens of millions of Americans. The PlugInPartners.org petition states: “If I could buy a vehicle that was cheaper to operate, cleaner, ran on domestic electricity, and I could buy it from you for a few thousand dollars more, yes I would positively WANT to plug it in to a 120-volt outlet.” PG&E is California's largest utility. source: San Diego Union Tribune
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