Carmakers urged to develop plug-in hybrids

A coalition of US cities and utilities companies has started a campaign to get carmakers to speed up the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

PHEVs, essentially a gas-electric hybrid with bigger batteries, target an electric-only operating range of 25-35 miles. Recharging from a domestic 110V socket at current electricity rates would mean consumers were buying ‘fuel’ at about 75 cents per ‘electric gallon’.