Brian Howey: Lugar advice to the candidates (from his Prius)

Before taking the Prius on a spin around the EnerDel lot just off of I-69, Lugar urged U.S. Senators McCain, Obama and Clinton to talk about energy policy in the upcoming presidential campaign, saying the next "war in Europe won’t be fought with armies" but by "turning off the tap in winter" as Russia has threatened Ukraine’s natural gas supply in recent days. Such threats would be "tantamount to war," Lugar said.

On the day gasoline prices set a new record high (around $3.23) in 2007, Lugar addressed the Deloitte Energy Conference: "At issue is whether we will achieve our energy goals through a coherent and resolute national policy that takes advantage of America’s natural assets to create new economic opportunities, a cleaner environment, and improved national security. Or will we achieve our objective only after many years of economic pain and national vulnerability caused by scarcity, terrorist attacks, market shocks, and foreign manipulation of our energy supplies?"

This came as Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez was rattling his pump and saber, threatening to cut off gas to American Citgo stations, which underscored Lugar’s bold statement: “As competition for scarce oil resources grows and the price of oil stays high, oil will be an even greater magnet for conflict."

Lugar said at EnerDel that he and his staff have been pushing energy alternatives, putting out press releases for nearly each of the 100 or so filling station pumps now making E-85 ethanol available in Indiana. The senator and staff have actually been attending a number of ceremonies around the state for E-85. "That should be happening more promptly, but it isn’t promptly," he said. "It’s coming through in bits and pieces."

"The issue is for real," Lugar said. "It’s the most important issue in the presidential race; a matter of war and peace. It touches our domestic need for energy across the board." McCain, who has essentially secured the Republican nomination, and Clinton and Obama who are locked in an intense battle for the Democratic nomination, "need to talk much more about this," Lugar said.

After warning the 2008 presidential class, Lugar announced he was "about to take a ride in this Prius." Three years ago, Lugar decided to set an example by buying a Toyota Prius hybrid. It was a risky thing for an American politician to do - buy a Japanese car - particularly in Indiana home of GM, Ford, Chrysler and, of course, the gas guzzlin’ Hummer.

In April 2007, Washington Post reporter Dana Milbank staked out the Senate garage the day of an energy vote and watched senators depart in their Lincoln Town Cars and Dodge Durangos (14 to 17 mpg), while Lugar left in his Prius. A few months before, Sony Pictures released "Who Killed the Electric Car" about how GM, ConocoPhillips, the state of California and the Bush-Cheney oil presidency essentially killed the EVI electric hybrid. One problem was the battery, which could only power a car for about 100 miles and once spent, are tough on the environment.

As Lugar whizzed around the EnerDel parking lot in this LIB powered Prius, I thought of that documentary and how EnerDel - formed in 2004 as collaboration between Ener1, Delphi Corp., Itochu Corp and supported by the Advanced Battery Consortium and Argonne National Laboratory - was providing an answer. EnerDel described the battery in the back of the Prius as "long-lasting, lightweight and high-power - a total quality solution."

A number of former Delco Remy employees are now on the EnerDel team. Ener1 Chairman Charles Gassenheimer remarked, "Safe and affordable lithium-ion batteries are the critical link for making broad electrication of the car industry a reality now. HEVs, PHEVs and EVs, together with biofuels, will do more to cut oil consumption than any other single innovation." Argonne National Laboratories will announce initial third-party data next month on the EnerDel HEV battery. Beginning late this year - around the November elections - deliveries on a $70 million Th!nk City electric vehicle contract will begin. And Friedman is reporting engineering teams around the world are feverishly working on hybrid "open source" vehicles.

Lugar notes the gas mileage of his Prius and added, "This is astronomical in the 15-20 mpg business. It’s embarrassing to my colleagues who are all driving very big cars … maybe for security, who like to surround themselves with 5,000 pounds of steel."

Lugar then added, "Bit by bit they are going to get over it." And, perhaps, the presidential candidates will heed his advice and get into the issue as they make their way to Indiana in the coming days, weeks and months.

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