Did you know the Prius was first Introduced in U.S. 10 years ago this month? The Toyota Prius is the quintessential hybrid vehicle, with its instantly recognizable shape it has become an icon that has transformed the way we look at personal transportation.  Yet, Toyota sold barely 5,000 Prius in the U.S. when it was introduced a decade ago.  Still, the car became an instant hit with ‘treehuggers’ and electrical engineers alike before going ‘mainstream’ with its second generation in 2004.  That was the first year that sales of the iconic hybrid crossed the 100,000 mark. 

Green Drive Expo, the fest formerly known as Hybridfest, pulses and glides into Madison later this month. This will be the event’s fifth year of dispelling myths, sharing information and genuinely celebrating green vehicles. The Expo is the Midwest’s premier such event dedicated to hybrid cars and other clean transportation solutions and is held annually in conjunction with the Dane County Fair at the Alliant Energy Center grounds on the third weekend in July (7/17 & 7/18, 2010). The hours are: 10-5 pm Saturday, Noon-5pm Sunday.

Since there were no gas stations at the turn of the twentieth century early motorists purchased their gasoline by the bucket from a dry goods or hardware store, sometimes even a pharmacy.  These outlets also sold a little kerosene on the side for heating and lamp oil.  The first gas stations were simple sheds or shacks with a gas pump.  Soon they began to take on a unique identity in the landscape.  Oil companies then created standardized buildings for the distribution of their combustible hydrocarbons.  The world's first purpose built gas station was constructed in St. Louis, Missouri in 1905.

Now that Earth Day has come and gone, it seems like a little personal reflection is in order. The annual Earth Day event, this year the 40th annual global celebration of the earth, is always a favorite time of the year for Mr. Hybrid.  He has been attending these events for a decade talking-up Toyota hybrids and just lately, plug-in hybrid technology. This year was no exception - here's a recap. After all, this is Mr. Hybrid’s raison d'être!

Saturday, April 17th

This was the third annual Isthmus "Green Day" Festival and Expo at Monona Terrace.  Thousands of Wisconsin families came to the Expo to check out vendors, products and services devoted to more environmentally-friendly living.  Mr. Hybrid was there with the support of several of the Smart Motors sales team offering test drives in one of Toyota’s three hybrid models. It’s just amazing the attention the Prius still attracts at these events, even after a decade!

Last month the New York Times ran a story about how cities across the country were making preparations for life with electric cars (EVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).  Forward-thinking communities in a handful of places around the US are busy revising building code to require new structures that will be wired for car chargers.  Utility companies are gearing up in preparation for the first wave of electric cars which is due to hit when the Nissan Leaf is introduced later this year.  Pricing and tax incentives are getting hammered out, locations for the charging stations are getting sorted out, all in the belief that cars that use electricity have a future.

The move away from the internal combustion engine and towards vehicle electrification in the transportation sector is viewed by many as just a matter of time. You know, as in inevitable. The world’s population of automobiles is growing at an unprecedented rate. Within the next year more new cars will be purchased in China than in the US. For the first time this country will no longer be the most car crazy nation in the world.

There is an urgent need to increase fuel efficiency and reduce CO2, and internal combustion technology just will not suffice in the long-run. Auto manufacturers have accepted this, and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs), and electric vehicles (EVs) are already playing a larger role in their production plans for the coming years.

One of the world’s premiere auto shows, the North American International Auto Show in Detroit just finished up its 2010 edition January 24. This year’s show featured a 37,000 square foot exhibit on the Cobo Center’s main floor called Electric Avenue. No, this was not a Motown tribute to the Reggae/Ringbang singer and songwriter Eddy Grant. Electric Avenue was a showcase of the next generation of ‘green’ cars and it was telling that this technology was displayed on the same floor that had formerly hosted Hummers and the other big boys of the SUV family.