University of Central Florida buys a Prius hybrid car and updates it

The University of Central Florida?s first plug-in hybrid car buzzes around campus with a quiet whir. It?s a greener version of the popular gas and electric-powered hybrids, say team members from UCF?s Center for Energy and Sustainability who are working to convert a 2007 Toyota Prius to a plug-in hybrid vehicle for limited all-electric driving. While today?s hybrids are driven by electric motors powered by both batteries and an internal-combustion engine, UCF?s plug-in hybrid runs its electric motor on 20 rechargeable 12-volt batteries.