Prius Patriots

Hybrid cars are one of the few things that seem to bridge the political divide in the US.

So-called "Prius Patriots" including former CIA director James Woolsey drive the cars because they see it as a strategic necessity for the US to reduce its dependence on foreign oil.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the US spends $200,000 every minute on foreign oil.

John Andersen, who lives outside of Washington DC, drove his Prius in a rally last summer on the 4th of July holiday, which was billed as a declaration of independence from foreign oil.

Mr Andersen describes himself as a pro-life, religious conservative who still has to be convinced of the threat of global warming, but he loves his petrol-sipping Prius.

He loves it so much he says he will never buy another traditional car.

Depending on his driving patterns, he sometimes gets as much as 53 miles to the gallon, compared to an estimated 9.6 miles per gallon for Hummer's H2 heavy-duty SUV (based on listed range and fuel capacity).

Mr Andersen has been disappointed by US hybrid efforts. "It's a darn shame the US manufacturers didn't get on the bandwagon," he said.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4283117.stm