The two leading presidential candidates have practically tripped over each other meeting with GM CEO Rick Wagoner, who stopped bailing water long enough to tell the candidates what they can do to help his sinking company build cars that won’t destroy the planet. McCain’s promised a $5,000 tax credit to people who buy zero-emissions cars, but since there aren’t a whole lot of those on the road right now he’s offering a graduated tax credit that would apply to lower-emissions cars like — you guessed it — the Chevy Volt. But his biggest initiative is a $300 million prize to whoever creates a first battery with the āthe size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars. McCain envisions a chicken in every pot and a Volt in every garage, but what if the $300 million prize winner is a 200 mpg North Korean battery-powered runabout with a roofline tall enough to fit a Dear Leaderās bouffant? Like hybrid cars, recycling bins, and fashionable reusable shopping bags, the McCain Prize aims to make Americans feel good while motivating entrepreneurs to build a better battery. read more
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