Hybrid Car Test Ride And Drive In Sacramento

WASHINGTON, D.C.--Nov. 20, 2001--Today the Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas (EVAA) announced that it will have the greatest number and diversity of fuel cell electric vehicles ever gathered in the U.S. for demonstration as part of its upcoming event, the ``Electric Transportation Industry Conference: Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Technologies,'' which will be held December 11 - 14, 2001 in Sacramento, California. The electric vehicle ``Ride'n'Drive'' portion of the conference will be conducted on December 14 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. PST, at the California Fuel Cell Partnership facility in West Sacramento. In addition to fuel cell vehicles, approximately 40 hybrid and battery electrics will be available for test drives by conference delegates and members of the press.

``With the rapidly expanding availability of battery and hybrid electric drive options to the commercial marketplace, and the incredible progress being made to bring forward viable fuel cell vehicles, a conference with only `talking heads' makes no sense. Conference delegates need to be able to `kick the tires' and get behind the wheels of these emerging technologies,'' said EVAA Executive Director Kateri Callahan in explaining the emphasis on product demonstration. She added, ``And as the country grapples with ways to better insure our national energy security, we will be showcasing the solution to energy independence in the transportation sector -- electric drive vehicles.''

A sampling of the impressive and diverse array of electric drive products that will be on hand follows:

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Offerings:

Hyundai Santa Fe FCV (U.S. Debut) Toyota Highlander-Based FCHV-4 DaimlerChrysler NECAR 4/5 Honda FCX Ford P2000 Ford Focus FCV Hybrid Electric Vehicle Offerings:

Honda Civic HX (First U.S. Showing -- to go on sale 1st quarter, 2002) Toyota Prius Honda Insight Volkswagen Jetta Battery Electric Vehicle Offerings:

Toyota RAV 4 EV Ford TH!NK City Daimler GEM Volkswagen Beetle EV Ford Ranger EV Ford TH!NK Neighbor Ford U.S. Postal Service EV Volkswagen Golf EV The Electric Transportation Industry Conference -Battery-Hybrid- Fuel Cell Conference vehicle demonstration is open only to registered conference delegates and credentialed media.

Media Note: For more information on the many events taking place at the Electric Transportation Industry Conference, to apply for media credentials and to register for the events please visit www.evaa.org/evaa/ETI2001_jsfixed/index.htm