CALERA, OK -- It seems like there's no way to get around paying higher and higher gas prices, but members of one local group say there is a cheaper cleaner way. Instead of filling up, they plug in. Stephanie Brletic has the details.
When Michael Barkley drives, he's only paying two-cents per mile. It’s a drastic difference from the ever sky-rocketing gas prices. He doesn't drive just any car, his is electric.
"I was trying to prove to myself after seeing on the Internet that other people are making electric cars, and driving them since the 80s. I wanted to see if I could do it as well," he says.
Barkley met that challenge, but didn't stop there. The North Texas Electric Auto Association member is always finding new ways to improve.
"Whenever I'd take the electric car to the gas station to get gas for the riding lawn mower, people there were like 'why's he pulling up there?' so, I said, well that has to change," he says.
He turned his gas-guzzling riding lawnmower into an efficient machine that runs on electricity. Barkley charges his tractor with solar panels, and uses solar and wind energy to help power his home. Fellow electric auto association member Ram Mohan uses an electric scooter because saving the environment is just as important as saving a buck.
"I really wish to see many people using this and start conserving more gas so we can keep it for our younger generations," Mohan says.
Barkley says it's not hard to flip the switch to electric, and it's not even that expensive for those who want to do-it-themselves.
Barkley transformed his car for just twenty-five hundred dollars and help from fellow electric power enthusiasts...