In the News: Senator Orrin Hatch Helps Unveil a 100 mpg Electric Hummer
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 | Category: Raser In the News | Print
On May 20, 2009, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) participated in the Electric Hummer Test Drive on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Sen. Hatch called on President Obama to protect America’s leadership in plug-in hybrid technology as his administration moves forward to restructure the nation’s ailing auto industry. The full text of his speech details his case for plug-in hybrids and clean technologies.
“The CLEAR Act has been a big success. But one of the most exciting aspects of hybrids is the groundwork they lay for the logical next step: plug-in hybrid vehicles. The progression from hybrids to plug-in hybrids is not a giant step. However, in terms of energy policy, shifting transportation away from liquid fuels to the electric grid may prove to be nothing short of revolutionary.”
“The idea was really brought home to me by Raser Tech. Raser Tech developed a new, very powerful AC induction motor that could be used in electric and hybrid vehicles. I had been working on the CLEAR Act for a number of years, when Raser visited me and asked me to support incentives for hybrid-electric vehicles. They were a fairly new company and didn’t know that I was the sponsor of the CLEAR Act.”
“It was during that first meeting in 2004 that they shared their vision of a plug-in electric vehicle that could average 100 miles per gallon.”
“I continue to believe our nation is strengthened when we increase our domestic production of oil and natural gas. But it’s obvious to me that we must aggressively promote alternative transportation fuels at the same time. When our most significant alternative transportation fuel is ethanol, which has so many limitations, where does that leave us? It leaves us with the alternative that has the greatest potential but has gotten so little attention – the electric grid.”
“When you begin to add up the various benefits the grid could provide as an alternative transportation fuel, you can’t help but recognize its potential. In my view, there is no shorter path to adding diversity to our transportation fuels than by shifting the transportation sector to the electric grid.”
-US Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
Gallery from the Captiol Hill Test Drive:
