Schwarzenegger Gives Green Advice to Detroit Engineers
California's favorite Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, paid Detroit a visit this week, when he spoke at the Society of Engineers' 76th Annual world conference. This year's conference, titled "Racing to Green Mobility," focused on environmentally friendly automotive technologies, and Schwarzenegger took the opportunity to encourage development for cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles, while also sharing his own appreciation for cars. Unfortunately, the annual event falls this year while recession wary consumers shy away from big purchases and automakers are experiencing a tragic downturn in sales. "Detroit is a leading force in the car industry and ... right now they are going through some painful times," said Schwarzenegger. "And for anyone who says leave them there, don't help them, this is a huge amount of nonsense talk." Schwarzenegger encouraged Detroit automakers to persevere in their quest to create cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles. "We need a vision for energy, a vision for our cars, a vision for greenhouse gases, and a vision for tailpipe emissions," said the California Governor. "We need to get off of gas engines and on clean fuel engines." The Governator also defended a popular automotive target, saying "Let me just say I love the Hummer." He's got two already; one has been converted to run on hydrogen, and the other runs on biofuels. "There's nothing wrong with the Hummer, it's a great vehicle," he said. And he'd love to have another, powered by electricity. "It's a great car," Schwarzenegger continued. "The new H2 plug-in electric hybrid gets a hundred miles to the gallon. Can you believe that? It's fantastic and this is what Detroit can produce when it puts its mind to it. This is where the action's at." He was referring to the new plug-in electric Hummer H3 concept revealed by Raser Technologies at the conference. The vehicle demonstrates Raser's E-REV powertrain, which operates in a similar fashion to the Chevy Volt but is designed for use in a variety of larger full-sized SUVs and light trucks. Such a platform could create an opportunity for these popular vehicles to have a more environmentally friendly future. In wrapping up his visit, Schwarzenegger even offered to create a free commercial to help promote American manufacturers and boost dropping Detroit morale. Maybe he just needs the lines to update his SAG credentials, but "I want to help this industry to get back on its feet as quickly as possible," Schwarzenegger offered. Creative commons photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger by sterlingpr at flickr.com
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