The Charge Car Project at CMU is looking to make electric cars less expensive by using the cheapest hardware and the smartest software. One approach is to convert old cars to electrics using relatively inexpensive components . pull out the engine, fuel tank, exhaust system, etc and swap in a motor, unsophisticated battery and a supercapacitor which is charged by regenerative braking.
An issue is the standard models of driving - like the Americans Uraban Dynamometer Driving Schedule - fail to account for real driving patterns. The CMU guys are looking for real data and are appealing to the public to send GPS data from devices like iPhones. In return you'll get your commuting pattern examined and information on where an electric car might be practical.
the video is worth watching!
