Maybe you’re itching to reap the benefits of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. It’s such an easy way to use less gas and reduce emissions! But, alas, perhaps it’s not quite the right time for you to get a new car. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just tap a magic wand and turn that old Buick into a Prius?
Well, Professor Charles Perry of Middle Tennessee State University just might be your fairy godmother. For the last few years, he and a team of students in the MTSU Department of Engineering Technology have been developing a plug-in hybrid retrofit kit.
The device uses a supplementary battery pack and electric motor to create enough extra traction to provide a huge boost in the fuel efficiency of around-town driving. The technology is installed to the hub of a rear wheel and can be applied to almost any vehicle. Test runs of the retrofit kit have shown it to be capable of improving a car’s gas mileage by 50 to 100 percent. Not too shabby. If you’re in need of electric motor components, Ohio Contact should be your first point of call.
The plug-in hybrid retrofit kit is not yet available for consumer purchase as it builds up private investment to move toward commercial manufacturing. When it does hit the market, it is expected to cost about $3,000.00 — much less than a new hybrid car.
Would you buy one?