|
News Release
Media Contact: Margie Yansura, Wordsmith Communications
561-313-5028;
mywordsmith@bellsouth.net
At completion of Florida to Washington, D.C. trek – on one tank of gas
Rep. Tom Rooney breaks seal on gas tank to verify trip was made on one
tank of gas, showcasing electric hybrid technology of the future along
1,100-mile trek
Congressman Tom Rooney (FL-16) joined car dealer Earl Stewart, owner of
Earl Stewart Toyota of North Palm Beach, June 11 at 11 a.m. to greet the
Prius Plug-In Hybrid, dubbed “The Electric Green Machine,” as it
completed its 1,100-mile trek from the dealership in North Palm Beach,
Florida to Washington, D.C – on one 11.2-gallon tank of gas.
Ironically, the hybrid car of the future began its journey June 1
-- the same day that General Motors, the largest automaker for most of
the past century, declared bankruptcy.
Because 80 percent of Americans travel fewer than 40 miles a day,
plug-in vehicle technology could one day serve the needs of many
American households.
In
addition, although
unable to attend the welcoming ceremony, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
sent a letter of congratulating, noting that the electric hybrid will
play an important role in the development of future
environmentally-friendly vehicles.
Rick
Kearney, the Toyota Master Diagnostic and
Hybrid-Certified Technician who piloted the Electric Green Machine on
the entire trip, arrived in Washington, D.C. and was greeted on the
National Mall near the Capitol Reflecting Pool.
He arrived with a 2010 Prius Hybrid will also made the journey
from North Palm Beach to Washington, D.C., demonstrating the high gas
mileage achieved on Prius models which do not have the electric plug-in
modification. The new 2010
Prius averaged approximately 65 miles to the gallon on the trip.
The Electric Green Machine completed the trip with a gallon of
gas left in the tank, achieving an amazing 123.1 miles per gallon on the
record-setting trip!
Kearney explained that he took secondary roads along the route, which
allowed him to maximize his gas mileage.
He stopped every 30-40 miles to recharge the battery, accepting
the hospitality of Prius owners and others along the route who had
invited him to stop and recharge at their homes and businesses.
Because the trip was publicized throughout the country, several Prius
owners and others curious about hybrid plug-in technology followed his
trip on the web and greeted him at stops along the way.
Progress of the Electric Green Machine was followed via Twitter,
MySpace, Facebook, Skype, YouTube and on the Earl Stewart Toyota website
www.earlstewarttoyota.com.
“This trip is a demonstration of emerging hybrid electric plug-in
technology,” Stewart said.
“We want to bring to the attention of the public a new type of vehicle
which provides cleaner and greener transportation,” Stewart added.
“For three generations my family sold General Motors products,
before I bought this Toyota dealership.
With my three sons now playing a major role in the operations of
our dealership, we’re looking to the future and want to be part of
creating a more sustainable world for them and for their children and
all of our customers.”
The Toyota Prius 2009 hybrid was modified with the addition of an A123
Hymotion Lithium battery installed at the Advanced Vehicle Research
Center in Raleigh, N.C., one of Kearney’s stops on his was to
Washington. For more
information, visit www.avrc.com.
In preparation for the trip, Earl Stewart topped off the 11.2-gallon gas
tank and joined Vice Mayor Manuel, Mayor DuBois, Commissioner Rumsey
along with the Stewart grandchildren in sealing the gas tank cap and
affixing their signatures to the seal, in order to verify at the end of
the trip that the fuel tank has not been opened and the trip has been
completed on one tank of gas.
Then, to cheers from Prius owners and others who filled the
showroom, Kearney started the Prius-Plus Electric Green Machine and
broke through a “clean and green” banner to make his way north on U.S.
1, with his first stop in Stuart, Florida.
“I’m
proud to state that Earl Stewart Toyota of North Palm Beach is one of
one of the ‘greenest’ car dealerships in the nation as we sell more
hybrid vehicles than any other dealership in the nation, outside of
California,” Stewart said.
“We realize that electric hybrid cars will not normally be utilized for
long-distance trips, but through this demonstration, we hope to expose
the public to the possibilities of owning an electric hybrid car that
will allow them to travel to and from work and around town for just a
few dollars a week. We want
to give them a peek at a greener, cleaner and cheaper way to drive.”
Earl
Stewart Toyota of
North Palm Beach to Where is Ricky? Track Rick's Location In Real Time By Clicking His Picture Below!
FACT SHEET
|
| WHO: |
Earl
Stewart Toyota of North Palm Beach, the number one seller of hybrid
cars in
Driver: Rick Kearney, Track Rick's Location Below: Stealth Login Username: TimC@ESToyota.com & Password: priusplugin
|
| WHAT: |
Epic
1,100-mile trip from ON ONE 11.9-GALLON TANK OF GAS!
|
| WHEN: |
Leaving Earl Stewart Toyota of
In a ceremony at 11:30 a.m., Monday, June 1,
Earl Stewart and local dignitaries
will fill the fuel tank of the Prius and then seal the gas tank with a
tamper-proof cover. (Possibly U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and U.S.
Congressman Tom Rooney) will join
Earl Stewart in greeting the Prius-Plus Electric Green Machine upon its
arrival in
|
| HOW: |
Earl
Stewart Toyota has modified a 2009 Prius with
a Hymotion Lithium battery, creating an electric, plug-in hybrid able to
travel 30-40 miles without using any gas.
Follow the Pruis-Plus Electric Green Machine on its North Palm Beach to
|
| WHY: |
Just as automakers at the turn of the 20th Century staged
cross-country automotive road races to familiarize the American public
with this new mode of transportation, the “horseless carriage,” Earl
Stewart Toyota recognizes that hybrid and electric vehicles will play
important roles in the future of transportation
and is staging this trip to call attention to the gas-saving and
cost-saving aspects of this
technology. Although electric cars would not typically be used for long trips, this trip demonstrates that hybrid electric cars are well suited to drivers who daily commute less than 40 miles, freeing them from the worry of ever-escalating gas prices. |
