A hybrid that goes 0-60 in four seconds and gets 50 mpg -- built by high schoolers

Students from West Philadelphia took a K-1 kit, an old Accord, and some soybean oil (along with some donated parts and money) and built a car that goes from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds and gets 50 mpg. While it may smell like french fries when you start it up, there's nothing lost in this car.

In fact, it was so good, the kids entered it in the Tour de Sol and won in 2005. In 2002, the same school (different kids, of course) put together an electric Saturn and won the Tour de Sol. This year's K-1 car has also been seen at the Philadelphia Auto Show (Feb, 2006).

Now this is impressive. Although the total cost of the car was estimated at $100,000, imagine if someone with an assembly line took the idea and ran with it. As Simon Hauger, a physics teacher who is the West Philadelphia automotive program's administrator, put it, "Who wouldn't want a cool sports car hybrid?"

I first saw this story over at rutrow.com.