Minnesota state legislators have introduced a bill this week to stimulate the production of a “plug-in” hybrid car, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune reports. The bill looks to replace standard hybrids with plug-in vehicles that could be manufactured at a St. Paul Ford plant that has been tagged to slow production. The plug-in hybrids would also run on corn-based ethanol, a combination that could get gas mileage of around 100 miles per gallon. The goal is to build more E-85 pumps in the state. David Morris, vice president of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, said in the Star Tribune report that the fuel cost of driving an internal-combustion engine car is about 10 cents a mile, while the the fuel cost of driving on electricity is 1 to 2 cents per mile, resulting in a potential annual savings of $600. To alleviate new pollution problems from increased electricity use created at coal-powered plants, the bill’s sponsors propose that more electricity be created from wind, water and solar sources.
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