Aug 4, 2008

Hybridfest 2008 Lights up

If people can do it, there’s usually a competition related to it. Be it hot dog eating or mountain climbing, wherever there is human endeavor, some people somewhere decide to put their special skills to the test, and so it is with hybrid drivers. One might think proponents of being “green” might eschew the confrontational nature of head-to-head competition, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Each year, enthusiasts of hybrids and other green vehicles gather to swap information and view the latest technology at Hybridfest. And one of the key aspects of the two-day event, which was held this year in Madison, Wis., was the Hybridfest MPG Challenge.

In this competition, mileage-obsessed drivers, called hypermilers, put their vehicles to the test, not in a race of speed but of fuel efficiency. Fuel economy was recorded as drivers made their way across the country to the event, and the driver who arrived with the best percentage over the EPA's estimates earned bragging rights and had his or her hybrid vehicle displayed. This year’s winners were William Kinney of Kennewick, Wash., 109 MPG (109 percent over EPA estimate) driving a 2002 Honda Insight; Jerad Parish of Madison, Wis., 99 MPG (115 percent over EPA estimate) driving a 2005 Toyota Prius; Wayne Gerdes of Wadsworth, Ill., 73 MPG (74 percent over EPA estimate) driving a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid; Rob Colucci of Shorewood, Ill., 53 MPG (57 percent over EPA estimate) driving a 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid; Richard Krueger of Warren, Mich., 44 MPG (61 percent over EPA estimate) driving a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid; Richard Krueger of Warren, Mich., 28 MPG (33 percent over EPA estimate) driving a 2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid; and Mike Sefton of Winnipeg, Manitoba, 82 MPG (81 percent over EPA estimate) driving a 2001 Volkswagen Golf TDI. How Richard Krueger was able to drive two vehicles is likely as remarkable as the fuel economy he recorded.

Billed as "A Hybrid Electric Car Show and More," the event promotes awareness and understanding of hybrid electric automobiles. Important issues such as climate change, air quality and the need for sustainable transportation are addressed by car manufacturers, environmental groups and various vendors.