Game-changer hybrid

The problem with hybrids of course is that it's necessary to buy a whole new car to get the benefits. For most people, the financials of selling a car and buying a new one are problematic. Selling my venerable Honda would have meant only a couple thousand dollars and buying a new one would have meant $20k+ - not something to be done at the drop of a hat. And if you own a big new SUV the situation is even worse because the resale value has gone through the floor. Some 40 million Americans now own vehicles worth less than the debt carried by the owner - the 4 wheel equivalent of the mortgage crisis. That too could mean the loss of $20k or more.

That of course is partly what the X-Prize aims to fix. Incentivizing the development of the best and most marketable way to get 100 mpg. Of course, our beloved Tesla with its outsized sticker price threw its hat in the ring. It's driving terrific innovation. Wonderful car if you happen to be Sergei or Larry but not helpful in the near term for the rest of us.

But what if you could take your existing car, and for a modest retrofit, get 100 mpg? Ulrik Poulsen claims to have done just that:

Yes, that's what it looks like. An electric motor attached to the back wheel of a standard car for $3,300, complete with batteries that go in the trunk.

The Poulsen hybrid is a dark horse contender for the X-Prize. If it works as advertised it is a game-changer. Best thing is, it will be on the market this year. Read more.