His solution uses two turbine generators; in the first, the pressure of escaping exhaust spins the turbine to generate electricity. The second uses waste heat from the exhaust to turn water into steam; the steam powers the generator before traveling into a condenser, where it turns back into water and starts the loop again. Both turbines feed electricity back into the hybrid system’s batteries for a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions and a 20 percent more efficient vehicle. WHAT’S NEXT Mattessich is working on a prototype, applying for a patent, and looking for an automaker interested in incorporating the system into new cars—although he doesn’t rule out building an aftermarket device that uses the technology. “It could be a fun project for do-it-yourself types like me,” he says. Inventor: Eric Mattessich, senior New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.
