Drive without stopping at a gas station.
That?s the goal Baltimore-area motorists may achieve by placing orders for a new fuel-saving technology even though the vehicles have yet to hit the mass market.
AutoNation, the nation?s largest dealership chain, announced recently that its dealerships are taking “soft orders” for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles even though no automaker has any models for sale.
With all electric power, a plug-in hybrid ? which uses both gasoline and electric motors ? could operate for a period without burning any gasoline.
AutoNation has seven Baltimore- area dealerships ? Fox Chevrolet and Fox Mitsubishi in Baltimore City, Fox Buick, Fox GMC, Fox Pontiac and Fox Chevrolet in Laurel and Fox Chevrolet in Timonium. Customers can place orders in hopes of persuading automakers to build plug-in hybrid vehicles.
“These new hybrids would offer consumers a 50-mile all-electric range, get the equivalent of 100 miles per gallon, be fully recharged at night and deliver all the performance and comfort of traditional gasoline-powered vehicles without the damaging emissions,” said Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation, which is based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
AutoNation agreed to the soft orders after an environmental group called Plug-In Partners, protested at the chain?s dealership.
“We want AutoNation to start a dialogue with automakers,” said Jennifer Krill, program director for Plug-In Partners.
Plug-in hybrids are viewed as the next generation of hybrids. The vehicles can be “plugged in” to a conventional 120-volt home electric outlet. Plug-in hybrids can operate on all electric power for up to 50 miles.
Current hybrid vehicles ? of which Toyota, Honda and Ford sell several models ? also use gas and electric motors. The vehicle alternates between the gas and electric motor to power the vehicle and thus boost fuel mileage.
