Wagoner arrives for Senate hearing in Volt mule

General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner has arrived in Washington to deliver testimony at Senate hearings scheduled for today and tomorrow, and as we reported late yesterday, his transportation this time was not a private jet, but rather a series hybrid Chevy Volt mule in the body of a Chevy Cruze. Ford CEO Alan Mulally also ditched his private plane for a ride down to DC in a Ford Escape Hybrid, while Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli made the trip in a Chrysler Aspen Hybrid. UAW President Ron Gettelfinger flew down, but on a commercial flight (he never had a private jet in the first place and it likely would've been awkward if he chose one automaker's vehicle over the other two).

Testimony will be given by the four men and a number of other witnesses today and tomorrow, though it still appears as if there aren't enough votes in the Senate to get federal aid for the automakers passed immediately. Even if aid in the form of government loans is approved, there's still the matter of where the money will come from. The only two options on the table are converting $25 billion in already approved loans for investment in green technology to be used by the automakers to keep their businesses afloat, or carving out the money from the $700 billion in aid that Congress has already approved for the financial industry. We'll be keeping an eye on what's happening in Washington today and tomorrow, so stay tuned.

[Photo by Win McNamee/Getty]