Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles?

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs, are the key to the nation's energy independence, according to Jerry Asher of the Electric Vehicle Association of Washington, D.C.

Asher was in Union, South Carolina last week as part of a 50-state tour promoting the concept of a hybrid car that can be plugged into an electrical socket for recharging.

The car is a variation of the hybrids that are already on the market. But with a few modifications that presently cost roughly $6000, a Toyota Prius, for example, can get up to 101 miles per gallon, or about twice its estimated MPGs as sold.

Asher adds that with electric vehicles it is vital that drivers change their driving habits. The classic jump-starts and quick-stops ruin fuel efficiency, even with electric vehicles.