More on the Chevy "Volt"
A lot of good links here.
A diverse lineup of hybrid models is now in production, the GM diesel hybrid electric system for large city buses, the Saturn Vue and Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid models and the all-new Chevy Malibu hybrid. Coming this fall, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon Hybrid SUVs feature the world’s first 2-Mode hybrid system in an SUV, providing up to a 40-percent improvement in city driving fuel economy to what is already the industry’s most fuel-efficient full-size SUVs.
And now, for the commentary (skip if you like):
The process of building cars like this has been well under way for a few years now, driven by rising fuel prices. The new "energy bill" that just passed had nothing to do with it, but you can bet your bottom dollar that ten years from now we will be told that the electric cars on the roads are there only because of the 2007 Energy Bill and our glorious leaders in Washington. To hear some people talk, the only reason we aren't rubbing sticks together to get fire is government programs.