by Chris Conte
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - A small group of MTSU students along with the help of their engineering professor have a created a hybrid prototype they hope to be able to market to anyone who wants to turn their car into a more fuel efficient vehicle.
"We've been working on this for over four years," explained Professor Charles Perry on Monday.
Perry along with the help of close to a dozen students have turned a beat up old Honda station wagon into a plug in hybrid that on the outside looks exactly the same.
"If the trunk was not open and you didn't see the battery pack and the motor controls you would not know that this is a plug in hybrid vehicle," Prof. Perry says.
The secret is in the rear wheels of the car, where Perry and his students have rigged up powerful magnets that help propel the car forward with the help of a battery that sits in the trunk.
"You learn concepts, theoretical and mathematical equations in class but you have no real world application for it," says graduate student Brent Brubaker who has helped built the wagon.
So far the prototype only goes about 30mph but it gets close to 40 miles-per-gallon, the group is now hoping someone will fund the project so they can produce it on a bigger level.
"When you're done with it, it's something you can be proud of."
