During this week's inauguration of actor and Hummer fan Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California governor's office, guests will be driven to a multitude of events in zero-emission fuel cell vehicles. The California Fuel Cell Partnership is organizing a fleet of fuel cell vehicles from manufacturers such as DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen. There will also be a few fuel cell buses from Oakland's and San Jose's public transit fleets. The inaugural celebration starts in the state's capital on Thursday, January 4, with an afternoon event titled "Leading the green dream," which will feature an exhibit on hydrogen-powered cars.
Schwarzenegger has been showing an ever more progressive streak since his initial election, when he vowed to get one of his Hummers converted to hydrogen power. More recently, he appeared at the Los Angeles Auto Show to introduce various automakers' green efforts. But the Governator is far from an environmental wonk, a la Al Gore. His entourage nearly trampled me into the Los Angeles Convention Center floor as he drifted over to look longingly at the Aston Martins on display.