Coalition touts benefits of hybrid car

The job of a medical industry professional can include many miles on the road, and James Poch grew tired of rising gas expenses as well as the ecological costs of burning fossil fuels. He researched alternatives, most notably plug-in hybrid technology.

Over time, Poch, who lives in Berkeley County near Daniel Island, went one step further. Today he is executive director of the Plug-in Hybrid Coalition of the Carolinas, a regional group that promotes development of gas-electric vehicles that get much of their power from special batteries recharged via electrical sources.

For the past few months, Poch has driven a Toyota Prius that's been retrofitted at a cost of $40,000-$50,000 with a battery six times larger than the typical hybrid power grid and with electrical sockets capable of handling a heavy-duty electrical cord. Coalition members claim his car and another Prius in possession of sponsor S.C. Electric & Gas can exceed 100 mpg when used at maximum benefit of the electrical components.

The coalition has drawn interest not only from power companies SCE&G, Duke Energy and Progress Energy, but the city of Charleston and Mayor Joe Riley, who spoke in favor of plug-in cars at a press conference Nov. 5 at Brittlebank Park.

"Sometime in this century, the planet could go haywire," he says.

Environmental threats from carbon dioxide gas are real, Riley says. "This (plug-in technology) is a movement citizens want to be a part of."

Flanked by two plug-in models, Poch described the vehicles' benefits in lowering gasoline use. "This particular car can go 30 miles (just on electricity) and get 100 miles to the gallon," he says.

Top speed as an electric car is less than 35 mph. Poch said that's workable in many commuter trips. For instance, he can drive his son to school and back on Daniel Island using all electric power. He says, "50 percent of Americans commute less than 25 miles a day."

As a hybrid, the car can be driven on fuel even when the battery loses its charge. The vehicle logs 60-80 mpg on the highway, up to one-third higher than the typical Prius.

Poch cited a study from the Natural Resources Defense Council, which estimated that a full conversion to plug-in hybrids in the United States would have the effect of eliminating 450 million metric tons of greenhouse gases and cutting the equivalent of 80 million cars, or one-third of all vehicles in the U.S.

Further, the plug-in typically recharges overnight and, therefore, is using electricity at nonpeak hours, he says.

The director credited a host of civic leaders for helping him launch the coalition, including Dana Beach of the Coastal Conversation League; John Tiencken, former president and chief executive of Santee Cooper; and state Reps. Ben Hagood and Jim Merrill.

He also highlighted contributions from the three energy company sponsors.

Another advantage of plug-in electric usage is it can lead to reduced dependence on foreign oil supplies, such as from the politically unstable Middle East. "This is a national security issue, (too)," Poch says.

For more information, visit www.plugincarolina.org.