“It’s a sensational car,” Mr. Young said. “It has a bank of A123 batteries down the middle of the car where the driveshaft used to be. It has a Ford Atkinson 4-cylinder Escape hybrid motor customized to run on cellulosic ethanol.” He had recently visited a pilot plant making the fuel, in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Mr. Young plans a film about the LincVolt project. He framed his involvement in the film and car as an energizing break from music.
Asked why he would rather build his E.V. than buy a model from the major automakers, Mr. Young was diplomatic. “They are doing a good job, but they have to build a present car,” he said. “I can build a future car, push things.”
“We have all the energy we need here in the U.S. so we don’t have to fight wars for fuel,” he added.
