VEGGIE VAN ORGANIZATION AND THE FUEL MOVIE TO UNVEIL THE ALGAEUS

The World’s First Algae-Fueled, 150 Mile Per Gallon Vehicle Kicks Off Cross Country Tour to Launch “FUEL”

Los Angeles, CA (August 27, 2009) – Green Fuel is real fuel as the Algaeus, the world’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle to cross the country on fuel containing a blend of algae-based renewable gasoline, hits the road to celebrate the launch of the award-winning film FUEL. Sponsored by the Veggie Van Organization, the eco-aggressive, 10-day cross country tour features a caravan of high technology ‘green’ vehicles, led by the groundbreaking Algaeus, which is fueled by Sapphire Energy. The tour kicks off on September 8 in San Francisco and culminates in New York City on September 18 to celebrate the nationwide premiere of FUEL, the movie that inspires green energy solutions such as those demonstrated on the tour.

Sundance Film Festival Winning Director of “FUEL” and Founder/Co-Director of Veggie Van Organization, Josh Tickell, says of the big news, “What better way to show that the energy solutions we have been waiting for are here than driving the world’s first algae fuel powered, 150 mile per gallon, plug-in-electric hybrid vehicle across America to celebrate the opening of a movie about a new green economy.”

The tour will kick off in San Francisco on September 8th en route to New York City. The stops along the tour will include Sacramento (Sept. 9th), Salt Lake City (Sept. 10th), Cheyenne, WY (Sept. 11th), Lincoln, NE (Sept. 12th), Chicago, IL (Sept. 13th), Detroit, MI (Sept. 14th), Cleveland, OH (Sept. 15th), Erie, PA (Sept. 16th), Washington DC (Sept. 17th) and NYC (Sept. 18th).

About the “Algaeus”:

Veggie Van Organization has partnered with Sapphire Energy, the leader in algae-based fuel production, to introduce the world to the Algaeus. This is the first street-ready and legal car to cross the country using a blend of algae-based gasoline. This vehicle is based on a 2008 Toyota Prius that has been given an added battery pack, a plug and an advanced energy management system. The PHEV (plug in electric hybrid) gets 150 miles per gallon. Additionally, this gasoline blend is a complete drop-in replacement to fossil gasoline. The engine of the Algaeus has not been modified.

Sapphire Energy is providing the fuel that is a complete drop-in replacement containing a mixture of hydrocarbons refined directly from algae-based Green Crude, extracted through Sapphire’s proprietary process, and fossil fuels to
afford a high octane gasoline. “At Sapphire Energy, we recognize that the world needs a new generation of transportation fuels that are low carbon, produced domestically and can spur economic growth,” says Jason Pyle, CEO of Sapphire Energy. “Through our partnership with the Veggie Van Organization and FUEL producers to test drive the Algaeus, we’re one step closer to proving algae is that answer.”

This came on the heels of a little press and alternative fuel experiment – when a Toyota Highlander fuel-cell vehicle completed a 350 mile trip from Osaka to Tokyo without refueling. According to John Hanson, Toyota’s environmental spokesman; “We think the technology has been achieved. Now we have to reduce the costs and we think that under our present development program we will have done that by 2015.”

The public also has to be ready for hydrogen fueled vehicles – there are fewer than 100 hydro-fueling stations throughout North America, located mostly on the coasts. We also have to cut our dependency on “safe” fuels, as in us being used to them, such as gasoline. But with petrol going back up to $3 a gallon again we may soon be looking for other ways to power our rides.