The concept of electric vehicles is one that has swept the globe, and the competition and innovation involved can only benefit the end consumers when all is said and done. Taking a look down to New Zealand (ok, not the traditional definition of down under, but the same general area), the work of a man named Mike Duke seems VERY exciting.

Working with students and colleagues at Waikato University, Duke has spent the last two years developing a two-seater electric commuter car. Having originally worked with solar cars, Duke came to the conclusion that they were not viable for city driving, and joined up with other like-minded folks in an effort to make electric cars more practical.

Two years ago, Duke brought the project to Waikato University, where his team works in combination with an Australian company called HybridAuto. However, Duke is quick to credit his students for doing most of the design and construction work.

Their prototype has a number of design features which still require testing, but which seem to have a promising potential for the electric car industry. One of the most interesting being a honeycombed aluminum chassis which weighs significantly less than standard cars without sacrificing structural strength. As weight is always an important factor in electric car range, a lighter car means longer range.

Currently, the car can be charged on about $5 in electricity and has a top speed of about 75 miles per hour, and Duke thinks he can do even better. Researchers at the school are looking at technologies that could give the car a range of 400 miles or more on a single charge.

Duke and his team will be going to the World Solar Challenge to race in a parallel event for electric cars.