How to Get Involved

2002 Entrants

Sponsors List

See the 2002 Tour in Pictures!

Live Updates

2002 Rules

Press Room

Previous Tour de Sols

EVs and HEVs on the Market

Directions: The Mall & 3rd Street
For the first time, the starting ceremonies for the Tour de Sol road rally competition will be on the Mall next to the reflecting pool at the foot of the Capitol building. Special invitations have been issued to Congress people and their staff. High-level officials have been invited to join us and speak at the 1:15 pm starting ceremonies.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS:

For the first time, the Tour de Sol road rally competition will begin in Washington, DC.

• Over 50 Exhibits – Learn how products on the market can reduce the nation’s dependence on oil, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Test-drive new hybrid-electric vehicles built by Honda and Toyota. See the on-road debut of Honda’s Civic Hybrid. Talk with enthusiastic hybrid vehicle owners about their experience with their gas-sipping cars.
• Learn about clean buses on the market today and in the near future. Buses on display will be using fuels and technologies including diesel hybrid-electric, biodiesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), and fuel cell electric power.
• Visit prototype fuel cell and hybrid cars from DaimlerChrylser. Reps will be on hand to answer technical questions about these vehicles and their electric neighborhood vehicles.
  

  Dignitaries will join us for the 1:30 pm Starting Ceremonies - a great media draw!

• Talk with over 200 students, and dozens of visionaries about their experience of building two-dozen one-of-a-kind vehicles that are competing in the Tour de Sol road-rally championship. These vehicles include battery-electric cars, hybrid cars, solar assisted cars, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and one-person motorcycles and personal commuter vehicles.
• Fun stuff for kids. Hundreds of school children will be participating in the EV Media competition organized by the DC Energy Office, and the Junior Solar Sprint model solar car competition organized by the Washington Area Electric Auto Association.
• Special bicycle activities are organized by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and the League of American Bicyclists.
• Listen to the EPA Dixie Lee Band
• The Arlington County Commuter Assistance Program will be on hand to sell metro passes and show off their cool store on wheels.
• Learn more about car sharing by visiting the Zipcar exhibit. Look for the little VW Beatle!
• Numerous additional exhibits offered by our partners, and many others companies working to develop products that can reduce our dependence on oil.

Senator Merkowski (left) visited the Tour de Sol in 2000 to learn about new hybrid vehicles, and how they can help the nation reduce its dependency on foreign oil, and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Capitol Hill Briefing on Clean Bus Technology:  www.eesi.org
The Energy and Environmental Study Institute will host a briefing on Clean Bus technology, on Monday, May 13 at 2:00 PM. This briefing will compliment the extensive clean bus display at the Tour de Sol on Tuesday, May 14.





Gold Sponsors:
American Honda Motor Company
U.S. Department of Energy

Special DC Sponsors:
U.S. Department of Transportation
Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas
Arlington County Commuter Assistance Program
Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Additional DC Partners:
American Lung Association of DC
Association of International Auto Manufacturers
DaimlerChrysler
DC Energy Office
Electric Vehicle Association of Greater DC
Environmental Defense
Federal Highway Administration
Federal Transit Administration
League of American Bicylists
Methanol Institute
Public Interest Research Group
Union of Concerned Scientists
Washington Area Bicyclist Association
Zipcar

Exhibitors:
Honda Civic Hybrid   (US on-road debut of 5-seat gas-electric hybrid)
Honda Insight   (2-seat 70 mpg gas-electric hybrid)
Toyota Prius   (5-seat 52/45 mpg gas-electric hybrid. SULEV certified)
Toyota RAV4-EV   (Battery-electric SUV for sale in California)
GEM   (DaimlerChrysler’s all –electric neighborhood vehicle)
Town and Country Natrium   (DaimlerChrysler’s prototype fuel cell vehicle)
Dodge RAM HEV(DaimlerChrysler’s prototype hybrid vehicle. For sale in 2004)
AVS22   (Advanced Vehicle Systems – 22’ Hybrid Shuttle bus
Orion Bus   Industries and BAE SYESTEMS (OrionVII HYBRID, 40’ bus with BAE’s HybriDriveTM propulsion system)
40’ Prototype fuel cell bus   (Georgetown University)
Blue Bird School Bus   (Compressed Natural Gas - CNG)
CNG bus   (Washington Metro Area Transit Authority)
Biodiesel   "Bean Bus" (US Dept of Agriculture)
American Council for an Energy Efficient  Economy (ACEEE)   Green Book and more
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.   2002 Honda Civic Hybrid
American Lung Association of DC (ALA)   Lung and health information
American Public Transportation Assoc   Promotion of public transportation
Arlington County Commuter Assistance Program   CommuterPage.com supplies metro information and sells metro passes
Brown’s Arlington Honda/Amalgamated Leasing   Honda Civic Hybrid
Center for Chesapeake Communities   Electric riding  lawnmower, electric bikes, and scooters
Central Atlantic Toyota   Toyota Prius
City Bikes   Promotion of bicycles as a green way to get around
Climate Action Theatre – Entertainment, Books on climate change for sale
DaimlerChrysler   Chrysler Town and Country Natrium fuel cell, NECAR 4, GEM neighborhood vehicle, Dodge RAM HEV
DC Energy Office   Literature on education programs for DC area children and kids competition
Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington, DC   Electric cars, scooter, slot car game built by club members, and club literature
Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas   RAV-4 EV, electric scooters, & table top display
ENSCO, Inc.   Literature table
Environmental & Energy Study Institute  (EESI)   National Clean Bus Project materials
Federal Highway Administration   It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air literature and 2002 Toyota Prius
Gavin Watson   VW Golf Diesel running on 100% vegetable oil
Georgetown University   Fuel Cell transit bus
Greenpeace   Educational truck that runs on biodiesel and has solar panels on the roof
League of American Bicylists   Bicycles
Maryland Dept. of the Environment   Outreach materials concerning air pollution
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments   Literature on commuter choice and clean air
Orion Bus Industries & BAE SYSTEM – Orion VII HYBRID 40’ transit bus with BAE’s HybriDriveTM propulsion system
Ourisman Honda Of Laurel   Honda Civic Hybrid
Piano Peddler   Upbeat mobile music for any occassion
Public Interest Research Group   Literature
Renewable Fuels Association   Educational materials
Solar Electric Light Fund – Literature
Solar Energy Industries Association- Literature
Spincycle   Giant LaFree bicycle and a one of a kind trike
Therma Care   Demo of Therma Care air activated heat wraps
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.   Toyota Prius
U.S. DOE   Clean Cities Program literature
Union of Concerned Scientists   Literature on Clean School Bus Campaign and petition
United States Department of Agriculture   Biodiesel Bean Bus
U.S. EPA Dixie Land Band
Virginia Tech   Student-built Magellan: 2002 Ford Explorer HEV hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
Washington Area Bicyclist Association   Bicycles and literature
Zipcar   Car sharing program and vehicles