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ALTWHEELS PRESENTS ALTERNATIVE-VEHICLE CARAVAN, UNDER ALTERNATIVELY-FUELED STATE POLICE ESCORT, ON SEPTEMBER 21

 ** <http://www.altwheels.org>**
******www.AltWheels.org* <http://www.altwheels.org>*
*
*
*AltWheels Presents New England's Second Alternative-Vehicle Caravan *
*Under Alternatively-Fueled State Police Escort on September 21*

/Brookline-to-Cambridge// parade to showcase sustainable, clean 
transportation
Thursday, September 21, 2006 - 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m./

*Cambridge, MA-September 19, 2006* - AltWheels, New England's largest 
alternative-transportation festival, will present the region's second 
alternative-transportation caravan with more than 35 vehicles powered by 
alternative, hybrid and other more efficient, sustainable fuel systems. 
The Caravan is co-hosted by MIT's Environmental Programs Office and the 
Laboratory for Energy and the Environment, home to leading initiatives 
in environmentally friendly alternative-fuel vehicles. This year's 
Caravan will feature both innovative technologies and leaders from 
across the state who have committed to employ these technologies.

The Caravan includes CEOs from Zipcar and Massport, Mayors of Medford 
and Newton, and the first clean cab licensed for Boston. The vehicles 
participating in the Caravan represent just a small preview of what will 
be at the AltWheels Festival the following two days on Boston's City 
Hall Plaza. Caravan participants include ethanol, biodiesel and 
vegetable-oil-fueled vehicles, fuel-cell and other hydrogen-fueled 
vehicles, including a 12-passenger van, plus electric, hybrid and other 
low-emissions vehicles.

**The Caravan, the second of its kind in New England, kicks off the 
weekend's fourth annual AltWheels Festival, being held on Boston's City 
Hall Plaza on Friday and Saturday, September 22 and 23 as well as at 
Brookline's Larz Anderson Auto Museum on Sunday, September 24. The 
five-mile Caravan route will end at MIT's Stata Center parking lot, 
where the public and press are invited to come free of charge to learn 
about the latest innovations in alternative transportation. There will 
be a reception with light refreshments for members of the media starting 
at 6:00 p.m. The cars will assemble on the lawn of the Larz Anderson 
Auto Museum in Brookline at 4:00 p.m. for a photo opportunity before the 
Caravan begins.

At MIT Stata Center's outdoor amphitheater, Caravan participants and the 
public will be welcomed by the following: MIT Chancellor Phillip Clay; 
Professor John Heywood, director of the MIT Sloan Automotive Lab; and 
Simon Pitts, executive director of the Ford-MIT Alliance. Also offering 
remarks will be the following: James W. Hunt, chief of Environmental and 
Energy Services for the City of Boston; David Cash, director of Air, 
Energy and Waste Policy for the Massachusetts Executive Office of 
Environmental Affairs; Scott Griffith, CEO of Zipcar; and Tom Kinton, 
CEO of Massport. A schedule for these remarks is listed below. A 
reception for the media and Introduction of the drivers and their 
vehicles, plus a reception for the media will directly follow the 
welcoming remarks.

"The goal of the AltWheels Caravan on September 21 and the AltWheels 
Festival that following weekend demonstrates to the public that 
alternative transportation is in use throughout New England in schools, 
cities and towns and some fleets," said AltWheels founder Alison Sander. 
"Not only is this region a hotbed of research and technology in 
developing clean, sustainable fuel sources, but vehicles deploying these 
technologies are also being used by numerous municipal and state fleets 
in the region."

The idea of clean, sustainable fuels is beginning to catch on in New 
England--from private individuals buying more hybrid-fuel passenger 
cars, to large public-transit providers using eco-friendly vehicles, to 
major conversions to alt-fuel fleets by municipalities, universities and 
businesses. Major universities such as Harvard, MIT and Tufts have taken 
steps to reduce auto emissions in and around their campuses. Public 
agencies such as Massport, MassHighway, the MBTA, the City of Boston, 
the City of Keene, the Boston Public Health Commission and others have 
taken leadership positions in addressing the need to reduce harmful 
transportation-related pollutants in their fleets.

*The AltWheels Caravan is currently scheduled to include:*

**

    * State Police escort using a Ford Econoline E-250 CNG (compressed
      natural gas) van.
    * Ford hydrogen-powered E-450 12-passenger shuttle bus driven by Bob
      Natkin, technical leader for hydrogen internal-combustion-engine
      (H2 ICE) applications at Ford. Ford recently began limited
      production of the world's first fleet of commercial H2 ICE
      vehicles that produce near-zero emissions. The first eight E-450
      shuttle buses will soon be delivered to tourist destinations in
      Florida.
    * A Chevrolet Avalanche E-85 (ethanol) 2006 vehicle.
    * Zipcar MINI Cooper driven by Scott Griffith, Zipcar CEO.
    * 2001 Toyota Prius driven by James W. Hunt, chief of Environmental
      and Energy Services,  City of Boston.
    * Ford's 2006 Hybrid Escape (the first American-made hybrid SUV)
      driven by Massport CEO Tom Kinton.
    * Massport F-150 CNG pick-up truck driven by Jacki Wilkins of Massport.
    * 2005 Toyota Prius owned by Bud Ris, president of the New England
      Aquarium and former executive director of Union of Concerned
      Scientists.
    * Toyota Prius driven by Newton Mayor David Cohen.
    * Ford Electric Think 2002 vehicle driven by Mayor Michael J.
      McGlynn of the City of Medford.
    * 2007 E85 Chevrolet Impala.
    * 2007 Saturn Vue Hybrid Electric SUV.
    * 2007 Chevrolet Uplander E85 Mini Van.
    * Honda FCX Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered provided by the New York
      Office of General Services Clean Fueled Vehicle Program.
    * Volkswagen's Prototype 50-State Jetta TDI, driven by Kristen Cleven.
    * Volkswagen's 2006 Pike's Peak Touareg TDI driven by David
      Geanacopoulos.
    * Volkswagen's 2004 Touran Hy-Motion hydrogen-fueled vehicle driven
      by John Tillman.
    * MBTA Clean Diesel passenger bus. The MBTA has now become the
      largest alternative-fuel user in New England.
    * Boston Public Health Commission Emergency Services Toyota
      Highlander hybrid driven by Paul Shoemaker of the BPHC.
    * Harvard University 2005 Daimler-Chrysler 229 shuttle running on
      B20 biodiesel. Since 2004, Harvard has switched its transit fleet
      and University fleet to biodiesel and has more than 55 biodiesel
      vehicles.
    * MIT Information Services and Technology Department 2005 Ford
      Escape Hybrid used on campus to support campus computing programs
      -- the first MIT department hybrid vehicle on campus.
    * 2000 Ford Crown Victoria cruiser powered by CNG driven by Sgt.
      James Rooney of the Somerville Police Department.
    * Azure Dynamics 2006 Citivan, a diesel hybrid electric-powered
      delivery vehicle driven by Doug Alderton.
    * John Moore driving one of first cleaner Boston CleanAir Cabs, a
      2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid.
    * Honda GX, the top-selling CNG vehicle, driven by Barry Carr.
    * 1998 Solectria Force all-electric vehicle driven by Ken Olum.
    * 2005 Prius driven by Peter Smith, Urban Design chair of the Boston
      Society of Architects.
    * Comfort Inn & Suites Boston/Airport CNG van.
    * 2004 Toyota Prius adjusted to get up to 70 mpg, driven by Hobbit,
      winner of 2005 AltWheels "Best of Show" award.
    * MIT Mitsubishi CNG-powered Box Truck used for MIT's recycling program.
    * New England Aquarium Dodge Ram 2001 CNG-fueled outreach van used
      to bring programs to schools and communities. The CNG van drove
      over 15,000 miles last year delivering educational program to
      thousands of students throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
    * Mark Howards of AltEnergy Oasis driving a 1998 VW Beetle, running
      on used vegetable oil, that gets 50 mpg.
    * Massport CNG shuttle bus.
    * Max Hall driving a multi-fuel diesel-electric hybrid built from a
      1965 Innocenti Lambro.
    * Truck 67, the environmental flagship of Dennis K. Burke's fleet
      and that runs on B20 biodiesel. This award-winning tanker reflects
      Burke's commitment to the environment. The driver's side offers an
      ocean-beach scene and the passenger side features a
      mountainside-lake scene.
    * Steve Russell driving The City of Keene's biodiesel F-450 truck
      representing Granite State Clean Cities.
    * Jory Squibb from Camden, Maine driving Moonbeam, a microcar based
      on motorscooter technology built last winter to get 85-100 mpg.
      Expecting to drive from Camden to Larz Anderson on only 2 gallons
      of gas.
    * Honda Civic Hybrid, driven by David Cash, director of Air, Energy
      and Waste Policy for the Mass. Executive Office of Environmental
      Affairs, rented as part of a new, innovative rental contract with
      the Office of Vehicle Management (OVM) that requires hybrid
      availability.
    * 2004 Honda Civic CNG driven by Tom Cahir, deputy secretary of the
      Mass. Executive Office of Transportation.
    * 2004 Toyota Prius driven by James A. Barisano, chair and CEO of
      WheelsTV.net/Automotive Networks Corp.

*The Caravan will wind its way from the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in 
Brookline to MIT in Cambridge on Thursday, September 21 from 5:00 - 5:45 
p.m. From the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, the caravan will drive to the 
Jamaica Way, following it over Route 9, turning right on Brookline 
Avenue, through the Medical Area, by Fenway Park, and then onto 
Commonwealth Avenue through Kenmore Square. The Caravan will then turn 
left onto Massachusetts Avenue, and over the Harvard Bridge into 
Cambridge and MIT. At the third traffic signal after crossing over 
Memorial Drive, turn right onto Vassar Street. At the next stop light, 
turn right on to Main Street. Immediately turn right into MIT's East 
Parking Lot. The Stata Center is on the right. */(See map at the end of 
this press release. In case of rain, the welcoming remarks and reception 
will be held inside the Stata Center in the TSMC Lobby)/**
*
Schedule for the Day, including Remarks:*
*
4:00 p.m.  Vehicles assemble on lawn of Larz Anderson Auto Museum in 
Brookline. Directions at _www.mot.org <http://www.mot.org/>_. *
*
5:00 p.m.  Vehicles and procession leaves the Larz Anderson under State 
Police escort (CNG-fueled van). *
*
5:45 p.m.  Vehicles arrive at MIT Stata Center (East Parking Lot) in 
Cambridge. *
*
6:00 p.m.  Welcome remarks at MIT Stata Center:
**** *

    * ***Professor Phillip Clay, Chancellor, MIT.*
    * ***Professor John Heywood, Director, MIT Sloan Automotive
      Laboratory. *
    * *Simon Pitts, Executive Director, Ford-MIT Alliance.*
    * *Scott Griffith, CEO, Zipcar *
    * *James W. Hunt, Chief of Environmental and Energy Services, City
      of Boston.***
    * *David Cash, Director of Air, Energy and Waste Policy,
      Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs.***
    * *Tom Kinton, CEO, Massport.  *

*6:30 p.m.   Introduction of the Caravan Cars by Alison Sander, Founder, 
AltWheels Festival. *
*
6:45 p.m.  Reception for the media and public.*


  Stata Center location on MIT campus


For more information on exhibiting vehicles, sponsoring, or attending 
AltWheels, email classic.pr@verizon.net  
or info@altwheels.org , visit 
www.altwheels.org <http://www.altwheels.org/>, or call 617-868-1582.

For previous AltWheels news releases, in both Word and PDF formats, 
visit www.altwheels.org/media06.html 
<http://www.altwheels.org/media06.html>.

For AltWheels co-hosts, sponsors and participating companies, visit 
http://www.altwheels.org/who.html.

*Contact:
*

Alison Sander, AltWheels Festival
617-868-1582
info@altwheels.org 
	
Janice Halpern, Classic Communications
508-698-6810
classic.pr@verizon.net 

 *END*