Get the electric car from the 90s. Government took them away and destroyed them. We need to get them back and make them AFFORDABLE for the average person to get one (not lease).

Where is the 300 million coming from ? Mcain`s wife ?? Anyone smart enough to develop such a battery would know it was worth billions , so what is McCain doing here ? His head has band-aids , but they really should be over his mouth. Maybe he plans to use his campaign funds. Thinking should be a requirement for a candidate for the President of the United States.

This guy is Scary and Crazy.Old man has "lost" his bearings.I cant see why any sane person would vote for him.

Obama 08 -16 !

I think Cindy's paying for it with her the daily interest on her bank account. Isn't she?

O.B. IS JUST A CHICAGO CON MAN THAT CONNED ALL YOU LITTLE CHILDREN OUT OF YOUR MONEY. I SEE HIS CHANGE, HATE, RACIST AND DIVISION . YOU SEE IT EVERYDAY FROM HIS FOLLOWERS. HE PREACHES CHANGE ,BUT TAKES THIS COUNTRY BACK 100 YRS. OR MORE. HE ISN'T THE SECOND COMMING IAM SORRY TO TELL YOU O.B. BELIEVERS. YOU YOUNG LOST MINDED FIRST TIME VOTERS ETC. ARE LIVING IN A FANTASY WORLD WITH YOUR CANIDATE. IAM SO GLAD US CLINTON SUPPORTERS KNOW AND VOTED FOR REALITY. NOV. D DAY FOR O.B. NOW YOU YOUNG ABSENT MINDED VOTERS WILL SEE REALITY. AMERICA GETS WHAT THEY ASK FOR.

Battery technology is key to the future of the automotive industry. Most of the current efforts are based on lithium ion technology…with one company (Tesla Motors) already producing a powerful sports car using this technology.

A more promising technology is supercapacitor technology. One of the leaders in this area is Joel Schindall a scientist at MIT. Essentially Joel is using nano technology to optimize the charge/discharge and storage capacity for capacitors.

It's annoying that so many people (mostly Obama supporters) on this thread are posting such negative comments when they know NOTHING about battery technology.

McCain's proposal is a good one.

Hillary 2012

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Where in the handbook of life does it say that a company has to do anything other than follow laws? Where does it say that car companies HAVE to provide people with what they want? Where does it say oil companies CAN"T make money? Some of you people should stop pointing fingers from your keyboard and get out and do something about it. Like starting your own business; give everybody what they want, remember you can't make any money doing it tho. Good luck!

My car battery only cost $100. If he's worried about his car starting, he should get AAA.

And another thing: where'd he get $300 million?

I am a service advisor, I work for saturn, Yes we had electric cars in california for years, people didnt want to plug their cars in? They were great. also I worked for honda and we had fuel cells. One problem, No place to fill up! Thats the problem. There should be tax incentives for everyone huge ones, to convert your exisiting cars, or purchase new tech or smart cars. We dont need to drill off the coast of florida. I live here. One spill and tourism is over.We cant afford the financial loss

As someone with absolutely no doubt that he is going to vote for Obama in the fall election, and would never entertain voting for McCain (and McCain is probably the best choice the Rep's could have put forward this year), I have to admit that this is the kind of crisp, bold proposal that American politics needs, and I would not be surprised if (you'll pardon the pun) McCain gets some good mileage out of it.

I think offering bounties for technological breakthroughs is a grand idea. Instead of beating the American car and tech companies with mandates and regulations (not something I'm opposed to) that they will reflexively waste precious resources and time bucking against, this simply promises them $X of cold, hard cash if they achieve the breakthrough first. That might work.

I only wish Obama had come up with this first, since now anything that he proposes that looks like this will be vulnerable to charges of "me too-ism".

If this is not a joke, I hope it is limited to people in the U.S. Enough U.S. money is already going out of the country - one way or another.

I wish Hillary people would stop posting that they are voting for McCain. Just do it. You only have one vote, cast it wherever you want to. You are not voting on the issues anyway, you couldn't be.

Yeah let's give 300 million dollars to rich companies who were not at all proactive in the quest for fuel efficiency. Oh wait no that's a horrible idea.

The 'maverick' is turning out to be a one-trick-PONY…

republican politics…

make it LOOK like you are doing something, WHILE DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!

Where would the money come from. This is coming from a man who says he wants to reduce government spending. Then where would the $300 million come from. Sounds like a ploy to get our minds of these ever changing gas prices.

Sen. McCain please, don't make me laugh. What on earth are you doing? it's like auctioneering 300mi for an invention gimmick to get votes. What an insult on the American people. Sen. McCain actually who will be paying for this 300 million give-away?

So what you're saying is that I'll only have to ride my bike for another 20 years?

300 millions bucks - so every American pays one dollar to poor companies like General Motors, Ford an so on.

Where is the money comming from another blank check
this really shows that McCain is over the hill and need to be
in Arizona in his rocker.

McJokes

Hello EV-1 anyone? This battery has been created, and it was shut down fast. To those who'd like to find out more, check out "Who Killed the Electric Car". If GM wants get back into the car making business again, then perhaps they ought to find a way to bring back the EV-1. and Honda can add to it's hybrids, the RAV-4E (also all electric, and very popular with the few people who were able to have one for a short while). McCain needs to stop throwing our money away, as well our rights to clean air/ water. If offshore drilling is such a great idea, let's start with Kennebuckport.

We can borrow the money from China.

So this is leadership ? States are allowed to drill irrespective of possible environmental desasters but they also can spent the money on atomic power or clean energy or whatever… so it´s a matter where McCain in fact has no clue about what is important and there is no plan giving the states a direction.

Take the 300 million out of the public financing Obama isnt going to use now! Wheres that money going now? Obama is a lier. 300 million is a drop in the bucket, we have people driving to Mexico for Gas!!!! Hello out there…

Apparently he should invest in a car with a taller roof. Haha.

THAT'S HIS ENERGY PLAN?
This candidacy is a joke-

I can see why even republicans don't like him

Is he competing with Dubya for the coveted "Worlds Biggest Idiot" Award?

Sounds like another tax increase. They are making promises with our tax money just to get your vote. I'm voting Ron Paul

Now it's confirmed that the Republican Party has run out of ideas. Yet 40% of voters support this guy in the polls. Amazing….then again 29% think Bush has been a good president.

Wow! I mean wow! Is McCain a little slow. I'm not concerned about where the $300million will come from. I'm certain that between his in-laws and Halliburton, it'll pop up rather quickly giving them the patents and rights to the design or and even more profits. What really worries me is that i don't think he gets that the subsidy for ethanol made with corn goes to US farmers where the tax on sugar can ethanol comes from person outside the US. I'll make it simple money staying in US good. Money going out of US bad.

Who exactly is going to pay this $300 million prize?

For a man that believes so much in the free enterprise system, he certainly throws around tax payers money around freely. Especially, if a battery like this is invented, it will be worth more than 300 million.

I still wonder if this was such a good idea , why would he wait for he general election for this political gimick.

To Unions Are Not Stupid; I agree with you on firing McCains campaign staff, what in the world are they thinking. I am absolutely convinced that his crew is secretly setting him up for failure, there is no way that they could seriously be trying to get him elected…Obama 08! We are looking good, I cannot wait to see Obama interact with other smart world leaders …..

A $300 million government incentive? Wait a minute…I thought all solutions to all problems came from the free market? Isn't that Republican 101?

John, what we have to do here is let the free, fair and infallible maket fix this problem. In a free market no one could ever prevent new products from reaching the public. Right? Right? I mean, it's not like the energy companies have a MONOPOLY here. I'm sure they're very interested in not charging us $4.50 a gallon for the rest of our lives.

Government can't solve problems, John. Government IS the problem. St. Reagan said so.

All you obama lovers are being fool by fast eddie a slick chicago politican who is a super ball bouncing off the wall on every issue. But hey if he wins allof us will be the fools who suffer for his self centered, racist, additude. But I think that in November more than half the country will have seen enough of this con artist to say do I really want him to be president, NO.

And the company that would develop this battery did it because they could not see that the value of the product would far exceed $300MM in profit???
I can see the proposals coming in now from all the folks withot engineering or scientific training of any sort, that utilize $1000 in Home Depot equipment to see their dream of a $300MM payday happen!
Talking about insulting intelligence! Will these politicans please stop pandering!!!

Once again a DUMB idea to make it APPEAR he gives a DARN about alternative ways to power a car. Where is the $300 million coming from. It would be better to give people a sustantial tax credit (20% to 30% when they buy certain types of cars to offset their extra purchasing cost.

WHERE WERE THEY WHEN THE EV-1 CAME OUT??

IF…OUR GOVERNMENT HAD SHOWN SOME INTEREST IN THAT CAR WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS MESS. GM HAD A HUGE JUMP ON THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY, BUT UNLIKE OTHER GOVERNMENTS OURS TURNED IT'S BACK ON SUPPORTING THE FUTURE.

BIG OIL DID NOT WANT IT….IT WAS KILLED….

CHECK ITS HISTORY IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME.

Battery power that is 30% cheaper and lasts longer what an AWFUL idea. Only cuz Obama didn't float it. Lefties are a joke you can't poo poo something you have been screaming for for ten years.

The battery is what is stopping us from having all kinds of energy options. This is a good idea BUT! The Clintons had it first. I saw Bill Clinton talking about the very same thing in the context of an apollo type push, involving private citizens and companies , govt, universities just a month ago. The Clintons were talking about this WAAAY before McCain or Obama were even acting like they care (which they don't)

A lot of negative responses to this idea. My similar idea had been to award prizes based upon actual production numbers. McCain wants to provide incentives to purchasers.

This is a good idea because it provides the major auto manufacturers with a carrot to chase. I had said to make the pot much bigger. Have 200-300 miles between recharges, pretty much what you get from a tank of gas on average city/highway.

This is a good idea because a few hundred million is a drop in the bucket compared to continued dependency on foreign oil. Why not offer a carrot to motivate R&D?

It is clear that McCain is the only Presidential candiate willing to go the extra mile for energy independence.

All these Obamanazis are insane. Obama has not policy, except to raise taxes on gas.

Hyperion,
Get educated he has as much money on hand as your candidate.

Mary in Al, Try not to be so dense and use your brain before you write on forums showing how much of a ignorant fool you are. If a car runs on a battery that can run for a long time then you do not use gas. It's called Alternative Energy, ie something other than gasoline/oil based.

I may not agree with the 300 million for doing this but I am glad to see a person running for president that wants to push for alternative energy.

Is Cindy going to foot the bill for this joke too? Where is the $300 million going to come from?

McSenile is losing it!!

Auto industry has been sitting on this technology for decades but shelved it when the the country fell in love with gas guzzling SUVs.

I guess McBush has just given the auto industry a 300 million dollar bonus for nothing!!!

At least he is offering plans and ideas to get off of oil. Not to mention creating more domestic oil for the long hall. Real easy for you idiots to dismiss a plan that does exactly what you want create quality electric cars as stupid and pandering just because Obama didn't think of it. Proves McCain is more moderate and why this democrat is voting for him instaed of the dreamy wind bag.

look up EEStor

Once again Obama supporters can do nothing but complain. At least McCain has ideas about getting us off foreign oil. Obama says no to more drilling anywhere. So what are his bright ideas to get us off foregin oil? Don't have any?! Go figure.

We used to be a country that was proud to be #1, we are #3 in oil production but #1 in usage. Why not be #1 in oil production, #1 in renewables, #1 in nuclear, #1 in solar?! To get this done you have to give incentives to companies. I said it before if you want to get off foreign oil we need a "moonshot" by our government.

Instead all the Obama supporters would rather be #3 or maybe #4 or even #5.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Poor McCain already has Bandaids all over the head for reportedly hitting his head on the roof of a small car in Canada. What would he look like if he get the 300 million dollars car he is requesting for? A walking mummy?

I would like to see the government have the power that IF<–(big if there) someone has patented a great idea AND is sitting (not using) on it that it becomes available to the public.

Ok, the General Election Price Is Right Game Show is in full swing…

"General Motors, Come On Down!!"

lolol What a dummy.

This is a stupid scam. If I discover a silver bullet answer to the energy crisis, why would I give it away for $300 million. I can make billions.
This scam is for stupid people.

come on!.. McSame is treating American people like idiots, who are unable to think deeply into an issue. McSame is hoping people will just look at this superficially.

Vote with Love for America, Vote Obama !

baljeet…………..Obama is like a used car salesman he can sell it but doesn't know how to fix it. At least Mccain has a plan……..concentrate on the real issues and realised that McBush has no energy policy that will help us right now ………KEEP YOUR EYES ON MCSAME NOT THE PRIZE ……….. JUST A DEAL Already in the making………HE need to fix that old hog JAW !!!!!!

The 300 miliion will come from all the taxes Osama plans on raising….. You people need to watch th enews and quit listening to speeches

It's already been invented the cost is the problem. I guy from MIT figured out how to use silicon nano technology to get 10x more storage out of lithium batteries announced back in December.

In 1998 our government office drove a Toyota RAV EV. Saturn, Honda, Toyota and others had Electric Vehicles. Our Toyota RAV was pure Electric Vehicle: ran on batteries.

McCain is about 10 years behind the curve.

I think that is a great idea… incentive, is that so bad?

I am liking McCain more and more now that I don't have my Hill as the first choice.

PUMA - let's make it happen Hillary supporters.

For a guy who can't raise enough money to fund his campaign he sure likes to throw around talk of dollars…..what a fool.

Obama 08

Obama has the real culprits behind the rise in gas prices in his sights. HE GOING AFTER THE OIL SPECULATORS WHO HAVE BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE ENRON LOOPHOLE.

GO GET EM OBAMA…..

THIS IS THE LEADERSHIP THIS COUNTRY NEEDS.

This is yet another example of McCain thinking INSIDE the box. Batteries have to be charged. Electricity is generated in this country mostly by petroleum and coal. Even if the car is a hybrid car, the battery is charged in part by the gasoline. Electric cars are clean in the area around the car, but that electricity they use was generated at at a big, dirty power plant. If McCain thinks this is an innovative new way to do things he's really got to do some reading. Let's try to think of developing NEW energy sources. Hydrogen isn't it. It takes electricity to crack water into hydrogen and oxygen. How about fuel cells? How about more extensive public transportation systems (very efficient compared to cars). And where are those flying belts we were always promised? haha..

In regard to new drilling, we cannot drill our way to cheaper gas prices.
There are numerous oil fields currently waiting for the drill that the oil companies are not drilling in. Drill there first. BUT, we should start thinking carefully about drilling offshore and in the upper reaches of the globe. It will take YEARS to develop those areas, and by the time they're ready for the drill, we'll be needing the oil (unless we can come up with a better fuel than petroleum).

This was already done. Hasn't anyone seen "Who Killed the Electric Car"? GE (under Saturn brand) had several EV1 vehicles on the road back in the late 90s.

Its a taxpayer paid bribe. These technologies could have been developed long ago and those in possession of the ability to make them a reality right now are beholden to the oil companies.

This means that if somebody claims this, taxpayer paid, 300 million dollar prize it will be the oil companies.

Sounds kind of like "come on, we really need those technologies now, we'll give you 300 million" and the oil companies will take our money, then make this new battery capable of the bare minimum asked for, so as to keep oil still on top.

Its a horrible scam.

The technology is already there for EV's. The Tesla Roadster although ridiculously priced has a range of ~220 miles per charge. It does 0-60 in under 4 seconds and has a top speed of around ~140. The only reason this technology hasn't been introduced to the mainstream is because of one factor. Big Oil. They control our government and the auto industry. We really need to stop being so dependent on oil now, as in tomorrow the 24th of June. No drilling, no ANWR, no Gulf Coast. It just amazes me how so few Americans really see the bigger picture. We are being held back and it's just disgusting. We really need a change.

.
Similar to the " X " prize. Not a bad idea.

The Dem's are just upset because their guy didn't think of it. And they are supposed to be the ones driving alternative fuels. Hah.

OK. Now define the word 'better'…

Better color, Better space untilization, 'better' long lasting, better power reccyling, better..?

Wish these politicians has some clue of engineering development…

Do a google search on Enron loophole, EEStor, federal land leased to oil companies. If you do your homework you will see just how much of a con man John McCon really is.

McCain's hands are dirty with oil. He has advisors who are connected with big oil and Enron. His top ecomomic advisor pushed legislation for the Enron loophole that allowed Enron to manipulate energy prices which caused blackouts and so many people to lose their life savings. This same legislation is THE major reason for our extreme oil and gas prices. Look it up for yourself. This Enron loophole allows corrupt traders to trade futures commodites oversees unregulated in order to run up prices and John McCain supports this. He is a con man and is no better, if not worse, than George Bush and Dick Cheney in this regard. Now he wants to ACT like he cares while he has supported the Enron loophole and continues to do so.

mccain your an idiot and you would make a horrible horrible president even worse than bush please people wake up listen to this man he is cluless instead having the right policies to help with our energy and gas crisis hes just throwing around his rich wifes money all because he dosent have a clue GOD PLEASE BLESS AMERICA REAL HARD IF THIS MAN BECOMES PRESIDENT WE ARE GONNA NEED IT!!!

Nice idea, but I'd give it more credence if the good Senator put a substantial part of his wife's money behind it.

Incentive!! It works for normal people. Too bad some Democrats want the government to hand everything to them. Hard work and innovation should be rewarded!

One word. IDIOT

Sure we want independence from oil but we won't ever get it if all of the people making the laws are oil tycoons! Am I truly the only one who sees this?
More money spent on war means less for legitimate research on alternative fuels which in turn leads to a higher gas crisis. In the end this all equals more profit for oil companies and those connected in Washington DC!
If I only had one wish I would want a time machine and the chance at Halliburton stock!
Go McBush!

Democrats remember Operation Chaos = PUMA (Poor uneducated miserable adults).

Most of these bloggers are not Hillary supporters but the GOP and a very small amount of disappointed Clinton supporters that would have never voted for Obama. We true Democrats will unite and restore some honesty to the White House.

A $300 million dollar prize for a better innovation to reduce oil? Hahaha - this ain't Prize Is Right John, and you certainly are not Bob Barker.

They'll make a cartoon of McCain called "Kung Fu Panderer"

This is a great idea by Obama! What? It's McCain's? On second thought, it's horrible. Probably got the idea from Bush.

Last time I checked the barrel of oil was at well over $135. Neither one of these guys are going to be a miracle worker. Let's face that! I do want a new change and I'm not going to fall for any old politics.
I want someone willing to under we have a $9 trillion
debit in our hands and to take care of that first instead of
gimmicking America with ancient ideas.

I don't understand why all the Obama people oppose this idea - maybe they feel threatened? This is acuatlly a great way to spur innovation. Remember the success of the Ansari X prize for the first sub-orbital flight? This strategy works! It's better than an over-bloated government bureucracy trying to do the innovation…

yeah! it is so dumb to try to power a car without gas. Listen to your selves you sound like the big oil company's.McCain's plans are the fastest to effect the oil market but you are still not for them. Obama's plans don't take affect on the market until 2030 at best . Is that the change you want to see. If the USA started to drill Offshore when the Clinton's were in office, today you would not be paying $4 a gallon. But I guess its all bushes fault.

Why wasn't Barack at the town hall meeting with McCain? Oh, that's right - he's scared to death to speak without a teleprompter!

I can't wait to see the fool stumble and bumble and mumble his way through debates with John McCain. Or maybe he'll just decide that debates are unecessary or a racist plot and run away and hide just like he did with Hillary.

PUMA!

Sounds to me like McCain is waiting to see what move Obama is going to make, before he makes his move. Please McCain, get original with your ideas.

Also, the United States can make a car go 200 miles on a gallon if we wanted to. If we can make a missile (ICBM) leave it's silo and hit Moscow or any other place on this earth, we definitely can make a car go 100 to 200 miles a gallon. But when we have "Oil Tycoon" presidents like Bush, we chose not to.

I have officially decided that Sen. Obama supporters can not fully analyze issues. They simply find out who proposed it and react either one of two ways. While not shocking based on the demographics, I had hoped by now they would have learned this important trait of being a voter.

VotePact

** Nader/Gonzalez 2008 **

Do an internet search on EEStor. They have already developed this "better car battery" and should be marketed sometime this year. Who is McCain trying to fool?

Big oil makes 40+ billion… they should be offering a 1 Billion prize

$300 million is pocket change - R&D costs can be much greater than 300m

I am loosing more and more respect for McCain everyday. He seems to have sold his soul to the right wingers.

Con Con Con Con Con. Look up EEStor. John McCain cannot take credit for their battery that has been developed for almost a year already. John McCain knows about this and this is just a ploy for him to take some credit. Do your homework.

This must be a joke, John, right!? The free market already provides ample incentive for innovation and development. Any individual or company that perfected such a device would reap far more than $300 million in profits from the free market, as customers would line up in droves to buy it. What do you think companies like Toyota are in the business of actually doing?

And where's this $300 million coming from? Oh that's right…Chinese bankers. >_<

Ron Paul Revolution

This really isn't a bad idea, the American spirit is supposed to be about innovation and creativity… this is just an encouragement to get people out there trying. Will it work? Who knows, maybe… maybe not. But it's interesting to see someone proposing LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS. obama's camp seems to only see what is in FRONT of them - short-term solutions. This country needs people to be FORWARD-thinking… not merely concerned with their 'four years'.

stop this fool from taking the white house. what does a battery do with the ailing econmy or the rising gas . Stop pandering to voters Mr. Mcsame.

Ya know, I posted almost this exact same idea earlier this month on these blogs. I called it the "G-Prize", after the "X-Prize". I had suggested 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards, too.

Good Idea! John has impressed me today.

A company call EEStor already has developed McCain's "better car battery" which will go 250 miles on one full charge and only take 5 minutes to recharge. Does McCain know someone at EEStor which is based in Texas. Zenn motors has already tested this battery (super capicitor) in it's electric car and Lockheed Martin has already signed a distribution contract for the military. Who is McCain fooling and why is CNN and other MSMs not exposing McCain on this ploy? Please take some time and goolgle this for yourselves. It's plain as day. John McCain is once again proving he is a con man just like his offshore oil drilling and his support for the "Enron loophole". He needs to wash his dirty hands……their full of oil!!!!

Mary in AL: Think in terms of pure electric, plug in hybrid or hybrid cars. If you run on pure electric (no on board charging ability), current battery range can reach about 200 miles. Average full charging time is probably about 3 hours. To make pure electric feasible for more than just commuting, batteries need to have more along the lines of a 500 mile range, and charge in less than 30 minutes.

You probably could load up a vehicle with enough lithium ion batteries to get the range, but the cost and weight makes it economically unrealistic.

You're more likely to have battery technology evolve in a faster time than it would take to see any results come in from allowing more offshore drilling. So already manufactured hybrids and electric cars would simply need to upgrade their battery packs.

So in addition to this, give auto manufacturers incentives to produce these types of vehicles (tax breaks, etc), and to consumers (a nice tax credit…$3-5000).

The darlings of the Dems can't stand the fact that the limelight is on Barack and not them. Hill is running for 2012 and is determined for Barack's supporters to pay her debts. I won't send any more money until she is out of the picture. Unfortunately, that may not happen.

Go away Hillary, you bring drama and grief everywhere you go.

good inventions will pay-off may times over..
Have you lost it America…where has the pioneer spirit gone ?
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More political pandering…#!1he doesn't have the money to pay for this
#2 If it were possible, it would already BE invented
#3 First he says drill, now he says new batteries
#4 The man who can talk out of both sides of his mouth at the same time, and then remember none of it tomorrow
Lord help us if we put a Republican back in charge in the next 20 years!

That eliminates all democrats from winning the prize!

$300million, where is that "prize money" coming from? tax-payers? I say, save the "prize"; and give "electric bill" cost cuts or battery rebates, to those owners……………."More money, more problems"……………I say!

MCSAME…………$300 million prize for whoever can develop an automobile battery that "has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars……
I told you he think AMERICANS are STUPID !…….. WHAT IS REA:LLY GOING ON!!!!

II need some GAS AND FOOD…….WILL ACCEPT $3.00 DONATIONS

the market is driving this innovation - - rather than offer 300 million - offer startup seed money - offer 8 companies 25 million each - with a 100 dollar prize - government can use the technology royalty free - and US based companies will as well - outside the country - they pay

Ummm…. Someone should sit McCain down and have him watch "Who Killed the Electric Car?".

And just to think there are people in this country that like McClown. Just goes to show how America is still missing many "villiage idiots" because they are running after the clown McCain.

Don't the Rethugs have a bounty on Bin Laden's head for a lot of money? How's that one going?

McCain is such an idiot…

If anyone really did develop such a bettery, McCain would just use it to power an oil pump in a nature preserve somewhere.

MccccccccccccccccccccccCAIN ALL THE WAY TO THE OVAL OFFICE..THE MAN WITH DIGNITY…

An electric car with a range of what, fueled by what, of course electricity, obtained from where?

What we need is a hybrid that runs on electricity, that has a combustion motor of some sort that kicks in to "recharge" the vehicle going down the road. That's right a hybrid that not only can be used in town, but one that actually is a electric car on the highway, with a recharge capability.

Current hybirds are great for in town driving, don't really do a thing on the highway. But then again what makes anyone think that a viable solution is around the corner. MPG in vehicles remains where it was 100 years ago when model T's got 25 mpg.

I see so many people on here trashing the oil companies. They may in fact need a little kick in the pants, but that is such a small piece of the puzzle for gas prices, it is shortsighted to only talk about oil companies "gauging."

The McCain idea has a lot of substance, and represents innovative thinking. Just as Obama is being innovative on the Green energy front.

Hitting McCain or the Republicans for such an idea is counter-productive. Let's take the best of McCain's and Obama's ideas and get this country energy-independent.

And the technology is not available yet? I think McCain is crazy to think it's not already out there.

McCain is so out of touch.

Not another one gimmick. How McLame is this? He's got nothing else going for him. He thinks we're stupid and up to our ears in $4.00 gas that we won't pay attention to this hoax.

Smoke and mirrors McSame, and we're not buying it.

Hey, the next time you have a beer with your buddy George W, tell him to use the 300 million for the flood victims in the midwest.

Sorry excuse for a new idea–next.

Kenneth M-

You think this is innovative? Please. People are already trying and working on inventions. This is another sad slap in the face for Americans and especially republicans. Sad.

and to think this man could possibly be the leader of the most powerful country in the world… Iran's nuclear weapons are the least of our worries!

Good, anything to spark innovation. He's providing incentive for expediency, not to get people started in the field. Jesus, so many posters on here are the most flaming partisan libs I've ever seen; If Obama had done this, he'd be hailed the savior of the free world, but when McCain fuels transition from old to new he's "all flash."

Extreme partisanship like that is exactly what scares people away from Obama.

Mary In AL June 23rd, 2008 2:32 pm ET

What the heck does a car battery have to do with gas prices? Is McCane trying to change the subject?

The battery can power the car instead of gas. So if you don't need to put gas in the car the price of gas is not important.

The automotive industry should have plenty of reasons to make this battery for FREE, rather than paying them to do it…

Car sales are down, and unless of the of big automotive giants makes a car that can run on electric, they are bascially doomed, so thats reason enough to make these cars, why give them another red cent to do something they should have been doing ALL ALONG???

Not a bad idea, but I'm sure the auto industry is already working on something. Why not subsidize part of their R&D costs instead? That way this "contest" isn't limited to ones that can put up the costs needed. Keep in mind, our domestic manufacturers aren't doing too well.

Tax credits are also a great incentive. Us Americans have to be rewarded. We're not going to change unless we're compensated.

VotePact

** Nader/Gonzalez 2008 **

I like the idea. Government should look for solutions, and to encourage innovation and competition. Not stifle it with more regulation and taxation. We'll all win with such an innovation mentality.

And to be fair, Obama seems to be doing the same thing on the Green energy side. We need that "can do attitude. Both McCain and Obama are a big step ahead on these ideas then where we are now.

Yea McCain. You have been in government for 50 years and NOW you want us to think you are GREEN??? ALL this time you have been in Lock step with the OIL based BUSH team but NOW you want us to forget that??

I guess this is to balance out his flip flop agenda..yes DRILL DRILL DRILL as my Boss Bush says BUT lets give out cash for a Battery that will go AGAINST my Boss Bush. LOL This man does not know which side of the fence he wants to be on.

Much like his immagration stance..tell the Latinos one thing and the white people another.

WHAT???? How stupid.

Just as I thought, another gimmick. McSame doesn't have any plans. This is just a detractor to distract the American public from realizing that McSame doesn't have an energy plan. It won't work, and Barack will be our next president.

McSame tried to serve us the gas tax and we kicked that to the curb, now he's coming back with this new smoke and mirror idea. Sorry, we're smarter than a fifth grader.

BY THE WAY, WHERE IS THE $300 MILLION COMING FROM?

what a stupid lotto-type idea…. more flash from McBush and no substance….

get a clue, McBush: go after corporate gougers….

If this is representative of the great new ideas McCain has to provide solutions for America's energey problem, just expect the same open door for the oil company robbers and hostile Arab countries to hold Americans hostage and steal even more money.

To think there aren't hundreds if not more real engineers looking into creating a substitute for the gas run car is outrageous. But I guess McCain thinks some Tom, Dick or Harry on the street corner is going to come off their couch and solve 'this one'. And for a whopping $300 million dollars.

This guy is truly from the early 20th Century. If you're looking for a change, this IS NOT your guy. Geesh.

McCain, how do you pay $300 million with?
Do you realize that we are almost $ 9 trillion in debt?
Why don't you fix failing economy & education first and worry about cars later?
Hello….does anybody in the senate or congress have a proposal for the solutions? I guess not, they are too busy thinking about earmark projects.

HOW INOVATIVE. I SEE THE FACT THAT OBAMA IS IN THE RACE IS ELEVATING THE LEVEL MCCAIN IS PLAYING AT. IF THIS PLAN WORKS IT WILL HELP GET US OFF OIL. GOOD MOVE MCCAIN. I ONLY HOPE OBAMA CAN COME UP WITH AN EVEN BETTER PLAN. WHEN POLITICANS COMPETE CITIZENS WIN.

Who cares, she's only involved because she has to pay off her debt, and she doesn't want to come out of her own pocket. My question is why she's not in Ohio, Kentucky, PA, TN, etc. They were crazy enough to vote for her, let them pay off this millionaire's debt. Why should Barack supporters pay Hillary's debt. She mismanaged millions now she's got her hand out for someone else to pay.

I say no way will I ever pay for a selfish, self-centered spoil brat's bill. Speaking of bill, let Bill pay for it. Send him on the redneck talk circuit to pay Hillary's bills.

McCain, once again proving definitively what a bumbling deluded fool he is. Why don't you propose $300 million to improve public transportation, as Europe, Japan, and Australia have? Your battery idea is beyond ridiculous! We need real answers to real problems now, not more foolish and insane ideas. I hear there's good fishing in Iowa, maybe you should go back.

This isn't a game show, so let's do away with all the gimmicks, O.K.?!

As someone commented on FauxNews, since the $300 million is being paid by the taxpayers, is any patent or copyright coming from this going to be the public's right to use for free? Otherwise we are letting these people double dip. I personally think the $300 million would be better for light rail development.
Also, is McSame jsut throwing out every idea he can think of to see which gains traction?
1. $300 million should go to light rail
2. gas tax break would further deteriorate our roads
3. drilling in ANWR woudl benefit big oil by giving them tons of tax breaks, letting them profit off our land and gouge us at the pump, with no guarantee for cheaper gas prices
4. we need to break our addiction to buying all this crap made with petroleum (plastic "crap")

Where's the $300M come from? Sounds like a gimmick to me.

Where's Mcain getting the money from?

I'm sorry mr. mcnuts, but who is supposed to front that $300 million? and how?

What a joke! This man has no clue at all! I can not believe he is even bothering He needs to fire everyone working in his campaign they have plans on getting him elected what so ever they are just pushing him under the bus so that Jeb bush can run in the next election against Obama the republicans know there not going to win this one so they are saving there nickles and dimes waiting for another bush to come along.John Mc Cain 2000 and John Mc Cain 2008 are totally different people. When he won his primary season the GOP took over his campaign and he said yes sir! when Sen Obama won his primary battle against a much stronger opponent he stepped in and took over the DNC and started his plans of change. These fake hillary supporters on here trying to make alot of noise. If you love her so much than why are you not helping pay off her debt? huh? exactly they are the same GOP fear mongering rush listing slim that voted for her in the primaries. They care nothing about our country or democracy! It is the same people day after day posting the same trash never changes and not a word of truth in any of there trash.

Big Oil is already sitting on the technology.They bought up the patents for anything that is better than oil.This is just another gimmick by the Republicans trying to make you think "bright and shining new car instead of going after the oil speculator crooks like himself.

It's great idea. Wait, Obama proposed this kind of incentive during a debate last year. Oh well, it doesn't bcome a bad idea becuase it's his opponent's idea, I just think 300 million is over the top. Does he really believe a comany would say, "100 million is not enough, if they would have made the prize 300 million, we would go for it". I am not sure what the right amount is, but 1/3 of a billion dollars of our tax dollars sounds overly generous.

Bill clinton offered similar prize to a car that would get 75mpg.

Didn't we already invent this technology??? Oh yeah, it was swept under the rug along with 9/11 evidence by the Bush Administration to give his oil buddies RECORD PROFITS!

Obama is like a used car salesman he can sell it but doesn't know how to fix it. Atleast Mccain has a plan. I was going to vote for Hillary but for the first time in my life i will be voting for Mccain. DNC has a lot of explaining to do.

And can we please have the oil companies supply the $300 million prize money instead of the taxpayers?

What a stupid scam…..watch now and see how those money hungry idiots are going to spend their times trying to come up with the "answer" when they areen't even smart enough to tie their shoe laces….McBush knows none of you have the answer, but by sending off on a wild goose chase you will forget to concentrate on the real issues and realised that McBush has not energy policy that will help anyone of us right now!

Is that all you can come up with???? NASA landed man on the moon long time ago. Fund the agency and am pretty sure they can do it.

Ok, when does this so called 'Republican' less spending start?!?!

Oh I know, when we ELECT A DEMOCRAT!!!

Fix the mess VOTE DEM!!!

Everybody should find a copy of the Documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car", it's amazing.

They had the ability years ago to produce electric cars that could go 300 miles on a charge, yet the car companies chose to only use weaker batteries that could only get about 100 miles per charge.

The problem isn't the lack of ideas or technology, it's the amount of power oil companies have, and the greed of car manufacturers. (Traditional cars have so many parts that breakdown, parts the manufacturer sells.)

Is he serious??? Let's turn our energy crisis into a gameshow with a 300 million dollar prize to the winner! Whoopee. John McCain seems to think that our nation is a stage and that our lives are just a big reality show. What we need is to stop playing games. The technlogy is already out there and no booby prize is needed if its use is made mandatory.

Wah waah waah, Hillary Clinton wah waah. Waaaah, wah sexism wah waah. Whine moan sigh, John McCain waah wah experience waah wah.

Ok, so I think I covered all the bases for you. Now can you repug trolls stop posting your whining crying BS on every article?

You must be jokig.

I made a solar car, an actual car that had max seed of 50 mph, with a key lock, a two seater and a door in HIGH SCHOOL

HIGH SCHOOL , john mccain.

A car that could run on the Golden Gate Bridge… oops i forgot. The GGB wasn't there when you were born.

I would think that the person who IS able to perform this task would eventually be rewarded with more than $300 million anyway.

DEMOCRATS UNITE!!!!

Check votesmart.org to read about the real John McCain. You can browse his voting history on environmental issues. This is nonsense campaigning. John McCain is no friend to the environment, as his voting record CLEARLY shows. An informed voter is an empowered voter. Find out who the guy is before you vote for him. If you want real change for our environment, I believe the choice is crystal clear.

Might be better John to offer a $50 M prize for the best liquid synthetic fuel.

This solves the power / density problem … Kilowatts per pound … or Kilowatts per gallon.

Also leverages our existing infrastructure for liquid fuels.

Synthetic liquids … a man-main compound of Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen & Oxygen which stores energy from the Sun, collected by plants and other photo-voltaic phenomena.

Cash option or annuity?

Google EEStor. Does John McCain have some buddies who work there?

What a great idea.That would be less than $1.00 for every man, woman and child in America. I heard many times that people came up with inventions to help with our energy dependence and was paid off by the the oil and car companies. Tires that would never wear out, not an energy example but an example. Now I wish I had the money to pay someone for a October surprise in August for you know who.

John McCain economic advisor pushed legislation in 2000 that is the major cause for our high energy prices today. It was also that legislation that allowed Enron to manipulate energy prices which took executives to jail and should have taken more, like McCain's now economic advisor and his wife who was on the board of Enron. Now he comes up with this ploy but unfortunately their is also a "better car battery" developed by EEStor in Texas. Zenn motors has already tested it in their electric car and it works great. Lockheed Martin has signed distribution contract to the military for it. A full charge will get 250 miles on a small car and it can be charged in as little as 5 minutes. John McCain, who are you trying to fool? Anyone who google EEStor will know you are a con.

yeah i your battery right.

this guy maccain is a JOKE

A $300 million prize for "innovation" that would "help" the US decrease its reliance on oil. For $300 million they better come up with more than just innovation. And just whom is supposed to pay this prize money ?. No, there's got to be something better than this idea.

Now there's a leader we can believe in!

Americans for McCain '08

A $300M prize paid for HOW? … and by WHOM?

I’ve tired of politicians throwing out hyperbole like this as though it has substance behind it. By what authority are you able to ensure that this will occur John ? Details please.

I’m puzzled ….

If this is a “town hall” meeting, shouldn’t the town be driving the discussion rather than it be a forum for McCain to give his pre-defined position papers?

And unless you get rid of special interests, the oil industry will not let such an invention happen. They can afford to spend a lot more than $300 million to make sure a battery is never invented.

Which candidate is trying to do away with special interest by not taking their money? Ohhhh right! Not McCain!

panderer.get out of iraq!no money?no problems solved.

What the heck does a car battery have to do with gas prices? Is McCane trying to change the subject?

McCain 08

"has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars."

Best idea yet! But it would have to be defined very carefully indeed to work.

Hmmm, a $300 million battery? Don't we already have stuff like this, but usually it's useless weapons systems the Pentagon buys from it's military-industrial suppliers, like $500 bolts and $800 toilet seats…Nobody but NOBODY wastes money like the government…

Hurry someone and deliver! This is McCain's only chance at winning the election! And we though the gas tax was a joke. Is this the best
candidate the republicans could find?

Giving out prizes? Are you kidding? What about the free market? If there was a demand for such a thing, it would be produced. How'd McCain come up with $300 million? $10 or $100 or $200 million isn't enough? While opening up off-shore drilling is controversial, it's an idea at least worth debating (I won't point out the flip-flop). This is just plain dumb.

Are you kidding me? Look up EEStor. This is a company with a battery (capacitor) already in testing and developement that meets McCain's very definition. Does he know someone inside this company or does he want to be able to take some of the credit for their car battery. Zenn motors already has tested it in their electric car and Lockheed Martin has already signed a contract with them to distribute this battery to the military once it comes to the market. Who is John McCain trying to fool? EEStor is a company in Texas, maybe some of McCain's Texas oil buddies have connections and this is a ploy to get them an extra $300 million dollars. What a joke!!!

True Democrats,

I am so tired of all the tickers being about the Democratic party. They are trying to divide our party. The only comment I will leave is NO COMMENT until they give the republican party the same attention. Please join me…

NO COMMENT

Hey Mr. Out-of-touch,

It's already invented. It is called the mechanical battery!