Google.org Funds to Develop 100MPG Engine

Daily Tech
Purav Sanghani - September 19, 2006 5:03 PM

Saving the environment, 1 search at a time

Though part of a much larger project, Google's aim to help fund the development of a plug-in hybrid automobile engine has taken many by surprise. The New York Times is reporting that the recently founded a for-profit organization Google.org is focused on funding start-up companies that aim to improve the world in any way possible including attacking poverty, disease and global warming.

One of Google.org's focuses also lands in the improving the environment by developing an automobile engine that can achieve 100 miles to the gallon and the capability to be plugged in and removed. Google.org hopes to gather individuals such as hybrid-engine scientists as well as automobile manufacturers to help in the research and design of such an engine.

Google.org has been established to help venture capitalists bring their world-saving ideas past the on paper stage but the "for-profit" status of the organization is raising eye-brows among some due to Google's young age.

Earlier this year a company called Loremo AG, a German-based automobile start-up, introduced a $13,000 hybrid-engine based automobile which was said to achieve 157 miles per gallon. The Loremo LS has a top speed of 99MPH and weighs in at only 992lbs with a 20HP 2-cylinder turbo diesel engine pulling it around. It will be interesting to see what Google.org and its partners can come up with.