Gas economy update

Times of London:

Americans hoping for a longer-term solution to oil costs have few options, other than buying an old car and having it converted to run on electricity by one of many custom workshops. So-called “plug-in” hybrids, which use lithium-ion batteries and can handle a daily commute between charges – thus eliminating the need for petrol – are still suffering development problems, with the much-hyped Chevy Volt not expected in showrooms until 2010.

The Silicon Valley electric car-maker Tesla Motors – which uses Lotus body parts from Britain – recently opened its first dealership in Los Angeles but has nothing to sell because only four production models of its much-hyped 139 mpg sports car have been built. The Tesla Roadster can allegedly accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and go 220 miles on a single charge, but problems with the transmission have forced the company to delay mass production until December.

The Daily Yomiura, in Osaka,  quoting Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe:

We want to realize our goal to halve the size and cost of hybrid drive systems as soon as possible.

Toyota plans to release a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with lithium-ion batteries some time in the 2010s. As a full-range auto maker [manufacturing vehicles ranging from trucks to compact cars], Toyota won't be able to cater to the market in each country without developing vehicles that can use a variety of fuels, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, hydrogen and electricity.

Homegrown discovery (stumble-on), I think.  Topping up the tank regularly increases fuel efficiency by at least 2 mpg.