Bush Disappoints Greens Yet Again

June 16, 2008

The Bush administration has just announced extra funding to support the development of plug-in hybrid vehicles. So why are we not cheering? The funding given by the government will amount to a pathetic $30 million, spread between three years. $10 million a year – roughly equivalent to what the Pentagon spends on stationary!

Not surprisingly, the Department of Energy made a big deal of the money, touting it as a great way to reduce dependence on oil and help us reduce our carbon footprint, both of which are no doubt true. But the size of the support will not make much headway in what is already becoming a competitive environment.

Sherry Boschert of Plug-In America said, “It’s great to see the DOE upping its support for plug-in vehicles and getting the major car companies involved. Unfortunately, the $30 million is a drop in the bucket compared with the funding the DOE blows on less viable and potentially harmful options like hydrogen fuel cells and corn-based ethanol.”

The money is to be divided between three American companies, General Motors, Ford, and General Electric and the goal is that plug-in electric cars will be cost competitive by 2014 and commercially viable by 2016.

These are far from ambitious goals considering GM is introducing the Chevy Volt in 2010, and other car manufacturers have committed to similar dates.

Apparently this is yet another area where we have to wait for either Obama or McCain to be in office before any real progress is made.

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