If you're in the Houston area, you may have seen CenterPoint Energy's plug-in vehicles, a Ford Escape and a Toyota Prius. Both of these are conventional hybrids that have been converted to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) as part of our research.

When operating in all-electric mode, these vehicles emit zero emissions, helping to improve our local air quality. Additionally, because PHEVs get significantly better gas mileage than traditional vehicles, they can help decrease our reliance on imported oil.