DAVIS, Calif., July 20 (UPI) -- Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. plans to develop hybrid cars that recharge at electrical wall sockets and go much farther between charges than standard hybrids.
That's a contrast to Detroit's Big Three and to Toyota's earlier public non-interest in so-called plug-in hybrids, The Christian Science Monitor said Thursday.
Fans of such ultra-efficient cars like the plug-in hybrid can thank Andy Frank, a professor at the University of California at Davis, who led a group of engineering students in making a plug-in hybrid. They swapped out the hybrid's large gasoline motor and small electric motor for a small gasoline engine and big electric motor. The result is a 325-horsepower Ford Explorer that achieves 100-plus miles per gallon and can go 50 miles without starting the gasoline engine.
Frank initially tried to interest Detroit in his vehicle but Toyota was the manufacturer that ran with the idea: It "borrowed" Frank's SUV, shipped it to Japan and had its technicians minutely analyze the vehicle.
On Tuesday, Toyota announced publicly that it was committed to developing a commercially viable plug-in hybrid.
