At first, hybrid vehicles touted their freedom from electric cords. Now it appears that the electric cord might be the salvation of hybrids, a vehicle type that might need a new wrinkle to continue its upward climb. When the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles were first introduced to the US market, their manufacturers were quick to point out that they never had to be plugged in. Since the plug-in General Motors EV-1 was considered by GM to be a dismal failure in the marketplace, the fact that the Prius and Insight never had to be connected to a receptacle was seen as a major plus. And now large-format lithium-ion rechargeable Read more . . .