Sep 9, 2008 7:26 pm US/Eastern
CBS4 EcoZone: Green Racer
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Hybrid Cars: nearly everyone has heard of them, but few have driven one. Now a South Florida man is being driven to shatter the myths of what they are and are not.
Tucked inside a yellow hull with a passion fueled by speeds of 120 miles per hour, Daren Schwartz is a world superboat champion. His affection for these blue seas turned "green" in time.
"It wasn't setting such a good standard, especially for even my kids who are out on the beach watching us race," Schwartz told CBS4 Chief Investigative Reporter Michele Gillen. "Boat racing isn't so eco-friendly, so we're really trying to go to the other side and change that," he said.
To balance that carbon footprint, he first traded in his family care for a hybrid and couldn't believe the savings on gas. "It was foolish the amount of gas I was going through in a week," said Schwartz.
"And so you said, okay, time for a change?" asked Gillen.
"Exactly," he replied.
He so fell in love with the hybrid, he decided to create a rental car company that only rents hybrids.
The biggest challenge was shattering myths about this car that uses gasoline and electricity.
"Misconceptions back from the Flintstones that you have to push it to get it going," said Schwartz. Needless to say, the driver doesn't have to push the car, or even plug it into an outlet.
"So the gas actually helps charge and get the electricity going?" Gillen asked.
"Exactly," replied Schwartz.
So the end game of this race is the human race. "I can have crowds and cheers applauding a Hybrid auto rental agency, cheering the fact that 'hey look, these guys are really trying to make a difference." said Schwartz.
Many city car fleets across the country are moving to hybrid. Gillen's first ride shattered her misconceptions that there would not be the pickup or speed she's used to. But as drivers control how much gas they use and how much the gas bill will be, one may find them self thinking green on the road.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
