Reporter Notebook: Electrifying at Any Speed

Margo Oge, director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the Environmental Protection Agency, reveals she drives a Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle, but maybe not the most efficiently at times.

"I love the performance," she tells us on the sidelines of the show and conference."Especially when you put it in sport mode."

Who says regulators don't want to have fun?

Never Stop Selling

Mitch Bainwol, CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, makes light of the industry's slow climb back to normalized annual sales volumes, saying every new vehicle purchased makes the U.S. fleet more fuel efficient and safer.

"So go out there and buy some cars!"

Short Circuit

In an effort to keep things civil among his panel of auto industry executives, academics and regulators during a discussion on controversial fuel-economy and safety standards, former Chrysler public relations chief and noted funny man Jason Vines warns members there will be consequences should they stray off message.

"Violators of our policy will get a short electric shock to their chair," says Vines, moderator of the discussion and a vice president at Fleishman Hillard Public Relations. "If they continue to violate the rules, a massive charge will be sent to the chair rendering the offender incapacitated.

"Any questions panel?"