Hybrid that charges itself

Hybrid that charges itself



SALT LAKE CITY -- A Utah company has developed a versatile electric SUV that can run indefinitely with help from a tiny engine that keeps the vehicle charged.

It can even power a house in an emergency.

Raser Technologies Inc. of Provo calls it the most advanced hybrid design so far -- a plug-in that also uses a 2.0-liter engine to charge lithium-ion batteries and provide direct power to the electric motor.


Raser's all-wheel-drive SUV, assembled by Auburn Hills-based FEV Inc., will be showcased at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress on April 20 in Detroit.

Raser's proprietary electric motor, one of the most compact and powerful on the road, can propel the vehicle to speeds of up to 100 mph.

In all-electric mode, the vehicle can run up to 40 miles on battery power alone before the engine kicks in occasionally to keep the vehicle charged.

Unlike the Toyota Prius, Raser's engine works only to supply a high-voltage charge, not to power wheels directly. It will work like the future Chevrolet Volt, also known as an extended-range electric vehicle, or E-REV. The Volt is due out in 2010.

"When you take that trip to Vegas, you can still use the vehicle and get great economy," said Jim Spellman, Raser's vice president of transportation.

Raser has another business division specializing in geothermal power development. It call itself a "wells-to-wheels" company.

On long trips, Raser's modified SUV -- the company won't say what make and model of Detroit-built vehicle it is using -- will be able to travel up to 400 miles on its 12-gallon fuel tank.

On a typical long highway cruise, the vehicle will get about 40 miles per gallon, or more than twice the mileage for a conventional SUV of its size, the company says.

The Raser-designed vehicle is heavier because of the liquid-cooled battery packs, generator and electric motor, even though the four-cylinder gas engine is smaller than the V8s commonly used for this SUV.

Another handy feature is that the Raser-designed vehicle can run power tools and can be plugged in to fully power a house if needed.

Raser isn't a manufacturer; it licenses its technology to partners. The first customer, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., is starting off by buying two of the SUVs, said Katie Romans, a PG&E spokeswoman.

The next hybrids sold for specialized use are likely to be pickups

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