Published Nov. 22, 2003

ORLANDO, Fla. - Lynette Woide stayed home one recent
afternoon so that someone from Progress Energy, the local
utility, could check the house she has lived in for 20
years to make sure it was as energy efficient as possible.

"It's important to me to be a good steward with what we've
been given," said Ms. Woide, who recently replaced the
windows in her living room to conserve air-conditioning. "I
think Americans are kind of wasteful. There isn't an
unending supply of what we have."

But in her small garage sits a Chevrolet Blazer, a sport
utility vehicle that Ms. Woide estimates gets 17 miles a
gallon. It is a company car that she chose because it helps
her haul things for work, she said. Then again, she
recalled, "I could haul a lot of stuff in my Taurus, too."
A Taurus gets about 30 percent better gas mileage, on
average, the Environmental Protection Agency says.


Mark Rutecki, a 37-year-old lawyer, moved to Celebration, FL,
from Miami six years ago. On his license plate is an
endangered Florida panther; the license plate is on a
Hummer. He said he bought the vehicle, which weighs 6,000
pounds, because he thought it would protect his wife and
two small children. But, he added, "recently I've started
wondering what people think" about his owning such a
vehicle, which gets about 12 miles to the gallon.

"It's not as bad as everyone thinks," he said. "The way I
think about it, we're close today to switching to a
hydrogen economy, so it won't matter what mileage we get on
cars now. I think that will happen soon."



Go To: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/22/business/22conserve.html?ex=1070516730&ei=1&en=85cc0a535c4e6ed7

Published Nov. 22, 2003

Twenty-five years after diesel cars
largely disappeared from American highways in a black cloud
of tailpipe exhaust, the energy bill whose fate is hanging
in the Senate invites a much cleaner incarnation back.
These so-called advanced diesels would be eligible for tax
credits equal to those in the bill for alternative-fuel
vehicles and gas-electric hybrids.
Published Nov. 22, 2003

Environmental groups say that the new generation of diesels
will still be too dirty to merit tax breaks but they view
credits for cleaner technologies like hybrids and hydrogen
fuel cells as one of the few things to like about the bill.
Over all, they say, the energy bill will increase the
nation's automotive oil consumption.


Go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/22/business/22diesel.html?ex=1070516794&ei=1&en=3f5a5853839180f2

DETROIT, Nov. 20 — The world’s first commercially mass-produced hybrid car has claimed the honor of 2004 Car of the Year from Motor Trend magazine.
THE NEWEST VERSION of the Toyota Prius, introduced in 1997, beat out 26 new or significantly reengineered models.
“The Prius is a capable, comfortable, fun-to-drive car that just happens to get spectacular fuel economy,” Motor Trend editor-in-chief Kevin Smith said. “It also provides a promising look at a future where extreme fuel efficiency, ultra-low emissions and exceptional performance will happily coexist.”
A hybrid car delivers better mileage by switching between a gasoline or diesel engine and an electric motor. The car recharges itself during the drive.
For now, the only versions available in the United States are small cars made by Toyota and Honda Motor Co., but several major automakers have models in the works.
Motor Trend editors said the Prius is capable of providing 60 miles per gallon in city driving and cited it as the first such hybrid to move into the automotive mainstream. They said the car is spacious enough to be classified as a midsize sedan.
The newly designed Prius hit U.S. showrooms in October. Toyota expects annual sales of the next-generation hybrid car to top 35,000. U.S. sales last year were 21,193. The base price for the car is about $20,000.
Dan Gorrell, vice president of California-based research firm Strategic Vision, said many early buyers likely made the choice because of the car’s novelty and advanced technology.
Motor Trend chooses its top car based on value, standing in its class and significant developments for 2004. One condition is that the vehicle must be available to the public by Jan. 1.
Vehicles are driven thousands of miles in a variety of weather and road conditions to evaluate factors such as handling and power delivery.
Last year’s winner was the Infiniti G35.
Last month, the publication named the Volkswagen Touareg, that automaker’s first entry in the sport utility segment, as its SUV of the year. A top truck also will be named next month.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/995843.asp?0cv=CB20