Beyond Oil: At national lab, vehicle research focuses on alternatives to oil

This is the second in a series of stories about alternative energy in Illinois. By Tara Burghart - Associated Press Writer ARGONNE - It's like a giant rolling Erector Set - for engineers who really like to play around with automotive components. Formally called the Mobile Automotive Technology Testbed, or MATT, the bare-bones chassis plays a vital part in the research at Argonne National Laboratory into new ways to power vehicles. One day, the engineers can test how an electric motor performs with a gasoline-powered engine and a manual transmission. The next day they can substitute an engine fueled by hydrogen. Soon, they intend to place giant batteries on the MATT's rear platform, to research a plug-in hybrid vehicle that could increase f