rare and historic EV1 promotional hat, circa 1996 (not crushed and disposed of)

Imagine adding the ability to run on added electrical charge to the already-impressive features available already in such hybrid vehicles as the Toyota Prius, the Honda Accord Hybrid, the Honda Civic Hybrid, the Honda Insight, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the Ford Escape Hybrid, and the Lexus RX 400h Hybrid SUV.

This is the concept behind the new breed of "plug-in hybrid electric vehicle" (PHEV) now emerging from start-up garages in Southern California, epicenter of car culture.

To listen to a National Public Radio segment about this new development, click on the title of the July 25, 2005 Marketplace report: "Revving it up."

To read a comprehensive and detailed discussion about the origins and possibilities of PHEVs, including several reports of very high mileage attained, by the subject of the NPR story, Los Angeles Times auto critic Dan Neil, click on the title of his July 17, 2005 article, "Running on Empty--A hot-rodded Prius hybrid can get extraordinary mileage from a gallon of gas--even in stop-and-go L.A. Is triple-digit mileage just around the bend?"