Google’s for-profit foundation Google.org has given a $200,000 grant to CalCars.org, a group that advocates the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric cars.
Plug-in hybrids are cars you can plug into an electricity outlet to recharge their batteries, and national automakers have been slow to develop them. PG&E and GM plan to enter the market over the next couple of years.
CalCars’ Felix Kramer (left) is the guy you’ll see driving a car around Palo Alto, Calif. that he claims gets 100+ MPG. The Google grant comes seven months after plans by Google to support plug-in hybrids first leaked in a NYT story. However, that piece was speculative and didn’t provide too many details. We’re hearing Google doesn’t plan to get into the car business — just like it doesn’t plan to get into the hardware phone business. But it we’re hearing it wants to strongly support adoption of such cars — announcement to come. Google co-founders Larry and Sergey were both early buyers of the Prius, and are supporters of the all-electric Tesla.
Kramer manages a helpful news archive tracking the latest developments in this sector; and see his blog.
(Photo courtesy U.S. News and World Report)
Tags: co:Calcars.org, co:Google.org, people:felix-kramer3 Comments
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Zoli Erdos said:
With a little Google grant I’ll be happy top promote/drive the Tesla left and right :-)
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Rich Hilt said:
Great for Felix! He’s almost singlehandedly got everyone, including the big car makers, to understand the benefits of PHV.
Great for Google too!
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Hybrid Expert said:
Has anyone heard any updates on googles hybrid vehicle or the co. they funded?
2 Trackbacks
10:02 am
Google Supports Plug-In Hybrids With $200k Donation | 6Autos.com said:
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3:47 pm
Could a big geothermal energy play be next for Google.org? » VentureBeat said:
[...] grants to support plug-in vehicle adoption. The foundation’s RechargeIT initiative recently gave $200,000 to CalCars.org. Page said Google.org’s goal is to produce 1 gigawatt of renewable energy [...]