Wisconsin Toyota dealer aiming for world record hybrid parade

June 15, 2011

Next month a Wisconsin Toyota dealer hopes to post a new record for putting on the world’s longest hybrid parade featuring as many as 500 hybrid vehicles.

Any make or model of production hybrid will be welcome at the Hybrids on Parade (HOP) event, being sponsored Sunday, July 24, by Smart Motors of Madison.

The goal is to actually be recorded as a new Guinness World Record™ for longest hybrid vehicle parade. The previous record of 140 hybrids was set in Belgium last year, so 500 hybrids will not be needed for the record breaking, but are being planned for.

“The features of hybrid vehicles really lend it to a parade situation,” said Allen Foster, vice president and general manager at Smart Motors. Foster noted he expected the vehicles to stay in electric mode for all of, or nearly all of the parade.

“It’s well known Madison has a green streak,” said Smart Motors HOP organizer, Paul Cooley. “So it only makes sense that we also hold a world record associated with the technology.”

Battery electric vehicles unfortunately are not eligible. This means no Nissan LEAFs, but the Chevrolet Volt, Ford Fusion, and other hybrids, including naturally, Toyota brand hybrids are more than welcome.

At this point, about 90 entrants have signed up, and the organizers are yet hopeful that in the next five weeks, the remaining slots will be filled.

There is no entry fee, but if you are interested in registering, be sure to read the contest entry rules.

Event details are brief: 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. is checking and breakfast reception for participants, then at 10 a.m. the Hybrids on Parade (HOP) begins with a police escort. At 11:45 a.m. the expected record breaking address and final remarks will be made at Smart Motors.

“This will really put Madison on the map and cement our position as environment-conscious, green-loving consumers,” Cooley said. To this end, Smart Motors has worked with TerraPass to ensure that this event will be more then carbon neutral.

Participants are encouraged to attend Green Drive Expo on the Dane County Fairgrounds at the Alliant Energy Center after the conclusion of the hybrid parade.


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  • KeiJidosha

    Happens every morning in Santa Monica during rush hour.

  • Anonymous

    You know what would save even more energy? NOT having a hybrid parade.

  • DC

    This is amazing, have hundreds of gas-burning ‘hybrids’ drive around aimlessly wasteing fuel and polluting the enviroment to….wait for it….show….how….green and enviromentally friendly hydrids are?!!

    I got a caption for this picture.

    Maddness and Industrial Civilization.(2011)

  • Capt. Concernicus

    Obviously some posters didn’t bother to even read the other website where it stated that the hybrids would have to stay in all electric mode for most of the trip. Meaning there would be virtually NO pollution from the 500 cars in the parade.

  • joshua_jenkins

    if these comments featured “like” buttons….

  • joshua_jenkins

    Obviously some posters don’t understand logic enough to realize that traveling to and from the parade won’t be done in all electric mode.

  • Chuck

    Two great reasons.. Unite for free breakfast! Banner that Wisconsin Toyota dealer can flag “Guinness record held here”!

  • Capt. Concernicus

    These comments need to feature “dislike” buttons also.

    Anyway, I don’t hear people complaining when the Corvette club does the same thing. All I hear when they do it is, “Ooooh, Aaaah.” Like overpowered, gas guzzling, smog producing cars that have little in utility factor make travelling in large packs across the U.S. okay.

    My bad.

  • Joan Archer

    This is wild. it shows real leadership and makes going green fun. the next parade will have to include all electric transportation alternatives- that might be real eye opening for a lot of people.

  • William Smith

    Basically, hybrid cars are normal, the engine fuel consumption and two vehicles. An engine has an electric motor, while the other is gasoline. Hybrid cars also have a special system to absorb the energy produced during braking. Hope all these reasons force companies towards hybrid cars.

    Salvage Cars

  • shweta007

    Cool a Hybrid car parade i would really like to be in the audience to see this and may be if i have a change of heart i might even get registered for it.

  • HybridOwnerJoe

    I’m sorry for those of you who think this is a waste of energy, especially since your ‘traditional’ gas guzzlers are so energy efficient. Oh, by the way, I already get about 51 mpg on my Prius. My wife gets about 53 mpg on hers. I just attended the D$W/MiHG Drive $mart Wisconsin/Miwaukee Hybrid Group meeting this morning and got tips on how to improve my gas mileage even more. I would love for you doubters to come and let some of us show you how you could save gas even on your regular cars by doing some $mart drive techniques! But with gas at only $3.60 a gallon I guess you think that’s cheap. Wait! Wasn’t it less than $3 per gallon only about a year ago? Hmmm… maybe you SHOULD show up… AND LEARN SOMETHING!!!

  • tapra1

    At this point, about 90 entrants have signed up, and the organizers are yet hopeful that in the next five weeks, the remaining slots will be filled. Latest News

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    “It’s well known Madison has a green streak,” said Smart Motors HOP organizer, Paul Cooley. “So it only makes sense that we also hold a world record associated with the technology. text spy

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