WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Electronic Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) will hold its 2006 conference – “Achieving Energy Independence Through Electric Drive: Industry & Government, Working Together – Nov. 28-30, at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, D.C. The EDTA is dedicated to advancing electric drive as a core technology on the road to sustainable mobility. EDTA’s primary function is to increase the profile for electric drive among policy makers and opinion leaders and foster greater collaboration between industry and government. A welcome reception will be held the evening of Nov. 28. A delegate luncheon, entitled, "Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicles and the Infrastructure of the Future" will be held the following day, featuring Dr. Steven R. Specker, president, Electric Power Research Institute, with Alan Richardson, president & CEO of American Public Power Association. An evening reception at the Library of Congress, Nov. 29, will provide attendees an opportunity to network with conference delegates, speakers, EDTA members, and Capitol Hill leaders. Confirmed keynote speakers include:

• Jim Press, president, Toyota Motor North America.
  

• Senator Byron Dorgan, North Dakota.
  

• John Bryson, chairman, president & CEO of Edison International.

  A Ride ‘n’ Drive highlighting hybrid battery and fuel cell technology will be held Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Capitol Hill. Shuttle service will be provided. Vehicles will include:

  
  

• GEM neighborhood electric vehicle.
  

• General Motors HydroGen-3.
  

• Honda FCX.
  

• Honda Civic Hybrid.
  

• Hyundai Tuscon FCEV.
  

• Toyota Camry Hybrid.
  

• Toyota Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle (FCEV).
  

• ZENN electric vehicle.

  Featuring industry and government leaders, the event will host educational forums, including:

  
  

• Electric Drive Technologies: Federal, State, and Local Solutions for Energy Security and the Environment.
  

• Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicles: Industry Status Report/Path to Commercialization.
  

• Beyond Cars: Building Sustainability into Heavy & Medium-Duty Markets, Mass Transit, and Off-Road Vehicles.
  

• Latest Achievements in Fuel Cell Vehicles: Milestones in Petroleum-Free Transportation.
  

• Defending Our Future: Preparedness and National Security.
  

• New Trends in Advanced Transportation.

  Free to all registered attendees, the "Federal Funding Opportunities in Electric Drive" conference workshop, led by Kelly Carnes - president and CEO of TechVision21, and former assistant secretary of commerce for technology policy, will provide an overview of government funding opportunities for battery electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and biofuels. John Sargent, former executive director of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) program, will join Carnes. Registration for EDTA members is $700, if made prior to the event. For hotel reservations, call: (202) 737-1234, or toll free: (800) 233-1234, and reference Electric Drive Conference. For more information, including agenda, speaker list, registration, and fees, visit: www.edtaconference.com.