# Felix Kramer

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American businessman

Felix Kramer Education Cornell University Occupations Entrepreneur, advocate, writer Known for Founding CalCars.org, promoting plug-in vehicles Spouse Rochelle Lefkowitz Website www.beyondcassandra.org

**Felix Kramer** is an American entrepreneur, strategist, and writer. After a succession of jobs and projects in the nonprofit sector and an early internet startup, he gained attention after 2002 as the founder of the [California Cars Initiative](/source/California_Cars_Initiative), promoting mass production of plug-in [hybrid electric vehicles](/source/Hybrid_electric_vehicle). Since 2009, he has written broadly on climate change awareness and solutions, and collaborated on or co-founded climate-related projects.

## Biography

### Education and early career

Kramer grew up in the [New York metropolitan area](/source/New_York_metropolitan_area). He received his bachelor's degree in American Studies from [Cornell University](/source/Cornell_University) in January 1971. At college and after, he was active in [anti-Vietnam war](/source/Anti-Vietnam_war) and [draft resistance](/source/Draft_resistance) activities,.[1] He worked as a Congressional aide and a writer/editor and director for several environmental organizations, including the New York event of the national [Sun Day](/source/Sun_Day) event in 1978 and the NYC Energy Task Force, known for its wind and solar installations on low-income buildings.[2]

### Personal computer and early internet-era activity

With the arrival of [WYSIWYG](/source/WYSIWYG) computers and software and laser printing, he co-founded the New York Macintosh User Group's DTP Special Interest Group.[3] In 1984 he started Kramer Communications, one of New York City's first start-to-finish [desktop publishing](/source/Desktop_publishing) (DTP) companies; he sold the company in 1997.

Kramer became involved in fax broadcasting and then with business development, usability and online marketing and promotion for a series of early online startups.[4] In 1997, as he relocated to the [San Francisco Bay Area](/source/San_Francisco_Bay_Area), Kramer founded eConstructors.com, an online marketplace for the web design and development industry, featuring "WhoBuiltIt," the first online reverse directory for websites. He built the company with a small international staff, raised [angel funding](/source/Angel_investor) and remained as CEO until it was bought in early 2001.[5]

### Plug-in car advocacy

In 2001, interrupted by surgery for an [acoustic neuroma](/source/Acoustic_neuroma), Kramer moved his focus from high-tech back to his earlier environmental concerns. He approached [Amory Lovins](/source/Amory_Lovins) of the [Rocky Mountain Institute](/source/Rocky_Mountain_Institute) (RMI), and entered into discussions with RMI-spinoff [HyperCar](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HyperCar&action=edit&redlink=1) to advance its concept of a fully optimized, 99 mile/gallon, fuel-cell-powered SUV. He proposed a pre-purchase "demand-pull" model for financing the company. This evolved into what became the [California Cars Initiative](/source/California_Cars_Initiative), which led the successful campaign for commercialization of [plug-in hybrid electric vehicles](/source/Plug-in_hybrid_electric_vehicle).

In 2006, with a conversion by one of the independent conversion companies, Kramer became the "world's first non-technical consumer owner" of a PHEV.[6] He flew that vehicle to Washington DC in May 2006 for the first public viewing of a PHEV on [Capitol Hill](/source/Capitol_Hill).[7] Within four years, many of the major automakers began to offer some type of plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicle, beginning with the [Chevrolet Volt](/source/Chevrolet_Volt).

Author and New York Times columnist [Thomas Friedman](/source/Thomas_Friedman) acknowledges Kramer's role in promoting the idea of plug-in hybrid vehicles, calling him someone "who has made plug-in electric cars not only his passion but an imminent reality."[8]

### Climate change activities

His activities and writing about [global warming](/source/Global_warming) emerged from his work on plug-in cars as he focused on powering [electric vehicles](/source/Electric_vehicle) by [renewable energy](/source/Renewable_energy). He began including the issue in testimony and articles in 2004. After 2009, Kramer focused on writing and organizing about climate change awareness and solutions, working with groups such as [350.org](/source/350.org), Environmental Entrepreneurs—E2.org, the [Citizens' Climate Lobby](/source/Citizens'_Climate_Lobby) and the [Sierra Club](/source/Sierra_Club), and advising and investing in cleantech and clean energy companies.

In 2014, he started Beyond Cassandra, a "mini-think tank" for projects, ideas, campaigns, and initiatives about climate change.[9]

In mid-2016, he cofounded The ClimateCongress Wikipedia Project, a [501(c)3](/source/501(c)(3)_organization) project to assemble on an independent wiki what candidates and incumbents in the House and Senate say and do about climate change. The project, with volunteers, a core team, and crowdsourcers, aims to identify a subset of information to move eventually to Wikipedia. It expects to evolve into ClimatePolitics, expanding to state, regional and local officeholders and appointees.[10] In late 2016, he founded Climate.MBA, a project to promote Emergency Climate Teach-Ins at business schools.[11]

## Publications and public presentations

Using knowledge gained in the DTP business and his early editorial experience, Kramer co-authored (with Maggie Lovaas) an early book on electronic publishing as a business in 1990 & 1991. The book, *Desktop Publishing Success: How to Start and Run a Desktop Publishing Business*, sold 25,000 copies in seven reprintings and was widely reviewed, including acclaim as "the Bible of the DTP Biz" by *Publish* Magazine's editor-in-chief.[12]

Much of his writing on plug-in cars was distributed via the CalCars Yahoo! news-group news-letter, copies of which are archived on CalCars' website.[13] On climate change and clean energy, he has authored or co-authored with renewable energy experts and advocates including [Dan Kammen](/source/Dan_Kammen), Gil Friend, and [Hunter Lovins](/source/Hunter_Lovins), op-ed pieces for the Huffington Post, the San Jose Mercury-News, Salon, Grist, Alternet, The Guardian and the Houston Chronicle.[14]

Kramer has spoken extensively at energy and policy events in the U.S. and internationally.[15]

## Personal life

Kramer is married to [Rochelle Lefkowitz](/source/Rochelle_Lefkowitz), president and founder of Pro-Media Communications, and they have an adult son.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Boschert, Sheri (2006). [*Plug-In Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America*](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/52). Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers. p. [52](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/52). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-86571-571-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-86571-571-8). Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Boschert, Sheri (2006). [*Plug-In Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America*](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/54). Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers. p. [54](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/54). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-86571-571-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-86571-571-8). Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Boschert, Sheri (2006). [*Plug-In Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America*](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/53). Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers. p. [53](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/53). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-86571-571-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-86571-571-8). Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Boschert, Sheri (2006). [*Plug-In Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America*](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/54). Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers. p. [54](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/54). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-86571-571-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-86571-571-8). Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Boschert, Sheri (2006). [*Plug-In Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America*](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/54). Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers. p. [54](https://archive.org/details/pluginhybridscar00bosc/page/54). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-86571-571-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-86571-571-8). Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Where PHEVs Are](http://www.calcars.org/where-phevs-are.html)"

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [PHEVs in DC](http://www.calcars.org/phevs-in-dc.html)."

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Friedman, Thomas (September 8, 2008). [*Hot, Flat, and Crowded*](https://archive.org/details/hotflatcrowded00frie). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. [417](https://archive.org/details/hotflatcrowded00frie/page/417).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Beyond Cassandra"](http://beyondcassandra.org/). *Beyond Cassandra*. Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Climate Congress Wikipedia Project"](http://www.climatecongress.us/). Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Can MBAs Reach Trump on Climate's Urgency?"](http://climate.mba). Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [Desktop Publishing Success: How to Start and Run a Desktop Publishing Business](http://www.nlightning.com/dtpsabout.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["CalCars-News Archive Index"](http://calcars.org/news-archive.html). *CalCars*. Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Beyond Cassandra"](http://beyondcassandra.org/felix-climate-writing/). *What Felix Kramer Has Written on climate change & clean energy*. Retrieved January 23, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["CalCars Events"](http://www.calcars.org/events.html). *CalCars*. Retrieved January 23, 2017.

## External links

- [California Cars Initiative](http://www.calcars.org/)

- [Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0865715718), by Sherry Boschert, featuring a chapter on Kramer

- [BeyondCassandra](http://Beyondcassandra.org)

- [ClimateMBA](http://climate.mba)

- [Climate Congress Wikipedia Project](http://climatecongress.us)

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