Al Gore Praises IC Bus Plug-In Hybrid

A recent appearance in Napa Valley by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore turned into an opportunity to display the latest in IC Bus’ hybrid technology.

“He feels it’s a great project,” said Ralph Knight, director of transportation, Napa Valley Unified School District. “He knew about what we’re doing, as he must have seen a news clip.”

Ralph worked with local state representatives to exhibit the bus after learning Gore would be in town for the upcoming U.S. presidential election. Ralph’s school district was one of the first to benefit from the industry-leading partnership between IC Bus and Enova Systems to deliver hybrid school buses to the U.S. market.

“Hybrid technology is proven, clean and efficient. It is economically advantageous, and environmentally friendly,” said David Hillman, marketing Director, IC Bus. “The equivalent cost of charging the batteries from an outlet is roughly 60 cents per gallon compared to approximately $4 per gallon or more for diesel. And, the technology cuts CO2 emissions by up to 39 percent while improving fuel efficiency by up to 65 percent — saving over 1,000 gallons of fuel per year versus the average school bus.”

Our Innovative Hybrid vehicles capture braking energy that would otherwise be lost, Hillman added. Because stop-and-go driving makes the most of this opportunity, school buses like the CE plug-in electric hybrid from IC Bus are an ideal use of this technology.

Also in attendance was California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi. Ralph said Garamendi was neither aware of the hybrid project nor the pending delivery of a brand new electric school bus. He spoke with Ralph and asked for statistics, pictures and a project overview. Ralph said he also seized the opportunity to share with Garamendi the industry’s concerns over obtaining sufficient funding for purchasing new green vehicles.