Dean Kamen's Stirling car is an old Ford Th!nk

The other day, we touched on the Stirling engine that Segway-inventor Dean Kamen was working on for a hybrid car. Kamen has now displayed his prototype, based on an old Ford Th!nk, to the media. Called the 2008 DEKA Revolt, the prototype can apparently go about 60 miles on a full charge of the li-ion batteries. Not a huge deal, that. Instead, the news is that there is a Stirling engine involved. It seems, though, that this extra power source is more back-up than game-changer.

The Stirling engine "powers the features that would normally drain huge power from the battery, notably the defroster and heater," according to the Union Leader. The battery drives the car, but "if the battery does run low, the Stirling can recharge it." Per our readers' discussion on this topic the other day, it look's like Kamen hasn't limited what his Stirling engine can burn. The Union Leader says, "It can use any fuel, from biodiesel to natural gas." There's a lot more to learn about this little invention, so keep your eyes peeled. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

[Source: Union Leader, FOX News]