A Toyota Prius hybrid had a sticker price of $26,000, and he was told he'd have to pay even more because the gawky little vehicles were in such demand.

Hmph, he thought. He didn't consider the Prius a real electric car, anyway, because it still uses gas.

He wanted a 100 percent electric car, one he could plug in overnight in his garage for pennies and glide off in the next morning.

He also wanted to challenge the electric car's nerdy image