Mayor Wellington Webb announced the city of Denver is continuing to step up efforts to help the environment and reduce fuel consumption by integrating more electric and gas-electric hybrid vehicles into its automobile fleet. At a press conference to launch its second phase of the "Take Charge" program, Denver unveiled 39 Toyota Prius hybrid sedans it purchased for use by the Public Works and Fire departments, as well as seven RAV4-EVs (electric vehicles) for companies in the greater Denver area. In an effort to introduce public-access EV charging along the Front Range, the city also is placing eight charging stations from Ft. Collins to Denver. With a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities program, Denver manages the "Take Charge" Project. It's the first community-based, public/private partnership to create a sustainable transportation system with electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. The fully electric RAV4 will be leased by six organizations and used in a variety of applications from ride-sharing for a senior housing development to municipal use. The vehicles will join the fleets of these organizations for a 1-to-3-year demonstration project. The organizations include the Denver land developer Burgwyn, Perry and Rose; city of Lakewood; Platte River Power Authority in Ft. Collins; NEWS4, KCNC-TV in Denver; and two radio communication product manufacturers -- Inovonics in Louisville and FreeWave Technology in Boulder. Denver has installed seven public-access charging stations -- one at Denver International Airport -- where electricity is provided free for the vehicle participants. An eighth charging station is planned for the new Civic Center Building opening in late 2002. Launched three years ago, Denver's first phase of the "Take Charge" program integrated three Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) into the city's fleet as part of a year-long demonstration project. The NEVs are limited to downtown Denver streets with a 32-mile capacity between charges.