Any type of hybrid operation will save fuel. The fuel savings for dollar spent exceed, by far, those of ethanol production. Growing permanent trees on lands used now for corn production and spending money on hybrid vehicles instead of ethanol production subsidies will greatly reduce CO2 production and fuel consumption.

It is now very important to develop a kit that will retrofit existing heavy vehicles to some type of hybrid operation without substantial change to the existing drive system. This can save much fuel and CO2 release. This can be combined with a cheap kit to retrofit the vehicle also to burn compressed natural gas or liquid petroleum gases as part of their fuel. Engine and exhaust heat can be used to vaporize ethanol, methanol or even gasoline to be used as a large part of the fuel in diesel truck engines as well. It is known that 90 percent of the diesel energy can be replaced with compressed natural gas and people are working on systems to reduce the diesel required from ten percent to one percent. There is a great deal of room for compressed natural gas tanks or other fuel tanks on Semi-trailers and their tractors. Even heavy steel tanks would not substantially increase the energy needed to move semitrailers.

With the ease of partial conversion to the use of compressed natural gas, it is surprising that the US railroads do not have large compressed natural gas waggons trailing all of the locomotives. With all of the engine and electronic and material innovations, such waggons could even have motors to move themselves for easier connection into trains.

All heavy hybrid diesel or even gasoline vehicles should be equipped to carry and burn compressed natural gas and other liquid petrolium gases as part of their fuel, even if such fuels only reduce the use of gasoline or diesel by a few percent over all. This will reduce the use of crude oil substantially and it is a more efficient use of natural gas than burning it to make ethanol is. ..HG..