PRLog (Press Release) –
“One of my concerns while making the picture is to do more than just introduce the viewer to the various types of alternative fuels that currently exists, but also to show how we can personally begin the transition to these energy sources right now,” the film’s director Jack LeFeber said. “For the regional Midwest locations we’re running biodiesel blends in my VW TDI. When we require air travel to various parts of the country, I’m not able to just pack up my car along with the cameras. And bio fuels are still not available in most areas.”
While in California, the filmmaker evaluated several PHEVs (plug in hybrid electric vehicles) loaned by CalCars Initiative, a non-for profit start up located in Palo Alto, California. LeFeber evaluated the cars performance between shooting locations in and around the San Francisco area. “After driving virtually silent cars for three days, it was hard to climb back into a conventionally powered vehicle,” LeFeber stated. “One of the modified Toyota Prius was the very same car actor Orlando Bloom drove to the Academy Awards.”
Since one of the film’s segments deals with the history of the pure electric car, LeFeber figured what better Electric Vehicle Company would there be to showcase than California based AC Propulsion. AC Propulsion just released it’s newest car named the eBox. The eBox is a complete plug in electric vehicle designed around a Scion xB compact. Instead of being a gas/electric hybrid, the eBox does away with the gas motor altogether. AC’s founder Alan Cocconi designed and built the controller for the original GM Impact that was introduced at the 1990 LA Auto Show, which then evolved into GM's EV-1.
“The really exciting thing about the eBox is it’s available right now. It averages 180 miles per charge, and then you just plug it in,” LeFeber said. “For the same cost as the average upscale SUV that gets 16 mpg, this vehicle’s energy costs average .75 cents per mile, seats five, and has air-conditioning, electric heating, power steering, power windows, power mirrors and remote door locks. Think about that for a minute.”
In addition to shooting the Electric Vehicles, the production interviewed several key biofuel researchers including Daniel Kammen, Founding Director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Lab at U.C. Berkley, and Jay D. Keasling, Professor of Chemical Engineering at Lawrence Berkeley Lab.
“Running on Fumes?” is scheduled to be completed fall 2007. For more information please visit www.runningonfumesfilm.com.
For more information on CalCars please visit www.calcars.org
For more information on AC Propulsion please visit www.acpropulsion.com
#######
