Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute (AFVi) presents the Alternative Fuels & Vehicles National Conference + Expo, May 11-14 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 2,000 fleet and industry professionals gather for four days of information and product previews. The premier national conference on all alternative fuels, vehicles and advanced technologies offers one-stop information and product shopping to fleets, policy-makers and advocates for clean transportation choices.

The conference features nationally recognized leaders in the fields of fuels, emissions, vehicles, policy, foreign relations and climate change. Industry icon Larry Burns of General Motors is joined by international middle east scholar Amy Myers Jaffe; Senior Energy Advisor Robert Hirsch; entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens; Texas Railroad Commission Chairman, Michael Williams; and, Rich Kassel of the Natural Resources Defense Council. J.D. Power’s Director of Automotive Engineering, Mike Marshall, will join presenters race car icon Bobby Rahal and actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. Other speakers of note include Adam Smith of the Google RechargeIT program, Robert Hall of United Parcel Service and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.

“With oil prices rising at unprecedented rates, and interest in alternatives to petroleum like we’ve never seen, this Conference has attracted attendees from just about every state and people from countries all over the world,” said Annalloyd Thomason, executive director of AFVi, the hosting organization. “The convergence of challenges with oil supply, greater awareness of the contribution of transportation to climate change, and increasing funding and incentives driving alternative fuel and vehicle purchases, there’s never been a better time for this industry.”

More than two hundred speakers will showcase the work they’ve done, representing a wide range of the latest innovations in alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. The Expo features more than 100 exhibitors as well as a Ride-n-Drive demonstrating light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. The Conference concurrent session lineup is organized around the categories of fleets, funding, fuels, policy and vehicles and technology.

The general public is invited to the Expo Hall on Wednesday, May 14, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Public Day is sponsored by the Las Vegas Valley Water District and Springs Preserve. In addition to viewing vehicles, products and services, there are presentations introducing the public to alternative fuels and sustainable transportation.

Hosted annually, this event brings together 2,000 attendees who share the mission of reducing petroleum consumption and emissions from the transportation sector. The AF&V Conference + Expo is presented in conjunction with AFVi’s sponsors. The 2008 sponsors include: Alloy Custom Products, American Clean Skies Foundation, American Honda Motor Company, ANGI International, ARB Inc., Atlas Copco, Azure Dynamics, Bosch, Clean Energy, Cummins Westport, Dresser Wayne, Ethanol Promotion & Information Council, Emission Solutions Inc, FirmGreen Energy, Inc., Ford Motor Company, Foton America, Freightliner, General Motors, Global Electric Motorcars, GreenField, Luxfer Gas Cylinders, Haycock Petroleum, Kenworth, Las Vegas Regional Clean Cities Coalition, Las Vegas Valley Water District, Miles Electric Vehicles, National Biodiesel Board, Odyne, OnQuest, Phoenix Motorcars, Propane Exceptional Energy, Southern California Gas Company, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Southern California Edison, Springs Preserve, Toyota Motor Company, Trimac, Westport Innovations and Wheels Inc.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute is an entrepreneurial organization that works through industry to bring people in need of proven transportation technologies together with those who can meet their needs. AFVi is fuel and technology neutral. More information on the Conference is available by going to www.afvi.org/NationalConference2008/.