I commute a total of 128 miles a day going to and from the office. The majority of my commute is on the freeway, so I have never really considered a hybrid car. From what I have read, the real bang for the buck on these cars is “city” driving. At the end of this year, I have been considering replacing my truck that gets 16-19 MPG, based on how I drive, with a smaller “commuting” vehicle that gets around 30 MPG.

I came across an article today that is making me think about the possibilities of keeping my truck. (The below quote is from Andy Grove, the retired CEO of Intel.)

The first step to get consumers to use less gas is to convert the biggest gas hogs to plug-ins. Converting the 100 million pickups, SUVs and vans on the road in the U.S. would save about 50% of imported petroleum, Grove says.”

My payback on a Prius is roughly eight years. I completed a quick Internet search, and it looks like I can retrofit my truck for $10K-$15K that will give slow freeway speeds for about 90% of my drive to the office. I can charge at work at no cost (Thanks Orange County!) for my return trip home. My payback looks to be about three years. (No, I have not completed a total cost of ownership – these are all rough numbers.)

Is this possible or even legit? I have no idea but I think a few phone calls are in order. I am planning on taking a few days off next month, and I might just make this a little research project.

Is it possible for me to keep my Sport Trac and turn it into a Plug-In Hybrid?