MPR: "Minnesota students create 'super' hybrid cars"

[SomeGuyInEagan]

From Minnesota Public Radio:

"Rosemount, Minn. — Students at six Minnesota technical colleges have spent their summer converting gas/electric hybrid cars into plug-in hybrids, dramatically increasing their fuel economy.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce is funding the project. State officials say they want to prepare students to work on "cars of the future" as more car companies begin to sell hybrid vehicles and all-electric cars.

As they pass by fuel pump after fuel pump, Toyota Prius drivers may be proud of their gas-sipping ways. A Prius typically gets about 50 miles per gallon.

But Tim McClusky, an automotive instructor at Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, said that's nothing compared to the supercharged hybrid his students have built."

entire story at:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/07/22/hybrid-prius/

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Project funded by the Minnesota Department of Commerce ($29k) and MnSCU ($10). Cars are getting as much as 95 mpg in one demo cited in the story and can cruise at 65 mph without issue.

Does anyone here know any of the instructors or students involved?

[Deja Q]

1. I wish they'd concentrate more on gas-only engines...

Hybrids are still very expensive,

And are arguably the polar opposite of SUVs: Many people who own SUVs don't need what they offer, and hybrids start to lose out with highway usage. If I did only city driving, I might have bought a hybrid, if I tallied up the usual destinations, cost of gas, estimated time the cost of gas would make up for the increased price of the car, how often the batteries must be replaced, and so on... (and having done some specific research lately, I would go with the Ford Fusion Hybrid and not even think of the others...)

Never mind many can't and have to stick with gas-only engines. :(


And now some thoughtful FUD, a total coincidence as I was looking up the general lifespan of a hybrid battery but some of the similarities are creepy:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/toyota_prius.html
(which just proves, buy the extended warranty, regardless of make or model if you intend to keep it for such a long period of time... and even then hope something goes out before the warranty expires.)

[Mister Ed]

2. I thought you'd bought a Ford Fusion hybrid a few weeks ago...

...after I saw an enthusiastic post from you about that model.

The article about the downside to the Prius is timely for me, as I have been casually contemplating the purchase of one.