ICARE To Host Fuel Efficiency Expo

IPSWICH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 26, 2006--

Green Car and Transportation Festival in Ipswich July 29, 2006

“Honda North, Ipswich Ford, General Motors Corporation, KeySpan, and many other groups have made it possible for us to create a one-stop learning opportunity for the interested public.”

Does the price at the pump give you second thoughts about your current mode of transportation? Does the latest scientific research about greenhouse gases and global warming concern you? Come to the Green Car and Transportation Festival to learn about more cost-efficient, cleaner ways to travel. The free festival will be held on Saturday, July 29, 2006, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Town Hall in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Learn more at http://www.IpswichRenewableEnergy.org/.

In one convenient location, the festival will showcase a variety of familiar hybrid-electric cars alongside cutting edge technologies that are either very new to the market or still in development. In addition, more than twenty exhibits will feature transportation agencies, advocacy groups, and environmental organizations that promote pollution control and reduced dependence on foreign oil. Attendees will be able to talk with people who provide related products and services and hear feedback from fellow consumers who have already changed their transportation practices.

The festival will offer the general public a chance to:

-- See a variety of hybrid-electric cars and electric motorbikes in an outdoor showroom

-- Test drive hybrid vehicles from a separate on-site deployment parking lot

-- See a biodiesel car, biodiesel retro kit, and biodiesel home processor

-- Talk to local owners of hybrid-electric and biodiesel-fueled cars

-- See a compressed natural gas car and a home fueling station

-- See a rare hydrogen-powered car and a unique solar racer

-- Meet with industry and environmental experts, including renowned automotive engineers from premier educational institutions

"The Green Car and Transportation Festival will put the various options for current hybrid purchases side by side, and will also give us an extraordinary view of the future - a close-up look at some of the most efficient new technologies," said festival organizer Web Bingham, an Ipswich resident and hybrid driver. "Honda North, Ipswich Ford, General Motors Corporation, KeySpan, and many other groups have made it possible for us to create a one-stop learning opportunity for the interested public."

In addition, Senator Bruce Tarr (R) is invited to make a public address about state legislation he is co-sponsoring, which calls for a tax deduction and sales tax rebate for people who purchase fuel efficient vehicles. Event staff will provide information about federal tax credits for hybrid purchases and about the national initiative for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The morning of the festival will feature a miles-per-gallon competition for production hybrids. Beginning at 9:30 am, pre-registered participants will drive a 24-mile route around Ipswich. Those with the winning fuel efficiencies will display their cars in a designated trophy area later in the afternoon.

"The festival will be great fun for the entire family. There will be live music, demonstrations, and video presentations all afternoon. You'll get the facts you need to save money and drive cleaner. Plus, the location is within easy walking distance from the commuter rail, down-town Ipswich, and the Olde Ipswich Days Fair on the South Green. Come and enjoy all that our town has to offer," said ICARE Chairman Jason Wertz.

The Green Car and Transportation Festival is presented by Ipswich Citizens Advocating Renewable Energy (ICARE), a grassroots community group that believes Ipswich can be a leader in alternative energy use. More information about ICARE and the festival is available at the organization's website, http://www.IpswichRenewableEnergy.org/.