Wow, this USA Today headline really caught my eye: "250 miles per gallon? They're doing it." And I love the subheading, too: "Tinkerers fiddle with hybrids to increase efficiency." Yep, that's the American way -- some guy (or girl) in a garage, puttering away until they come up with something weird, wacky...or, once in a while, wonderful. Don't like gas prices rising towards $3 per gallon? Tired of waiting for President Bush or the Republican Congress to do something about it (hint: don't hold your breath). OK then, roll up your sleeves and get to work! Before you know it, you might have yourself a "plug-in hybrid" that gets such incredible gas mileage you'll almost never have to fill 'er up. Science fiction? Actually, no, it's happening right now:
Monrovia-based Energy CS has converted two Priuses to get up to 230 mpg by using powerful lithium ion batteries. It is forming a new company, EDrive Systems, that will convert hybrids to plug-ins for about $12,000 starting next year, company vice president Greg Hanssen said.University of California, Davis, engineering professor Andy Frank built a plug-in hybrid from the ground up in 1972 and has since built seven others, one of which gets up to 250 mpg. They were converted from non-hybrids, including a Ford Taurus and Chevrolet Suburban.
Ah, American ingenuity...gotta love it.