Scientists at the Idaho National Laboratory are analyzing whether plug-in cars can help decrease the nation’s oil use.

The work is being done as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity.

The program places plug-in hybrid cars in a variety of cities around the nation and gathers information from them. That data will be sent to INL so the scientists can decide if the plug-in cars are as effective in real-world conditions as they are in tests.

Like standard hybrid cars, plug-in cars have batteries on board that help propel them. But the plug-ins also house a longer-lasting, more powerful lithium ion battery that can propel the car as far as 30 miles without using gasoline. When not in use, drivers can recharge their cars by plugging them in to standard electrical outlets. (AP)