GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO – Garfield County now has 11 hybrid vehicles in its motor pool and plans to add five more a year, County Manager Ed Green said, according to the Associated Press. Green, who formerly worked at the National Laboratory for Renewable Energy in Golden and was part of a project that studied hybrid vehicles, promoted buying the vehicles. The county first acquired a Toyota Prius in 2002 and now has three Prius cars to go with eight 2005 Ford Escape SUV hybrids. County officials are considering adding hybrid pickup trucks, assistant County Manager Jess Smith said. The vehicles have internal combustion engines assisted by electric batteries. Although they generally cost $4,000 to $5,000 more than conventional models, Green said the fuel savings are worth it. A 2005 Prius in the county's fleet has averaged 46 miles per gallon over 150 miles traveled. The county pays about $19,000 for each Prius and $27,000 for the Escapes.