Starkville aldermen have endorsed a proposal by Mississippi State University to get federal funds to convert a police cruiser into a plug-in, hybrid electric car.

Professor Mike Mazzola with MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, says a grant proposal will be sent to the federal Environmental Protection Agency for funding.

If funding is approved, a team of MSU students and faculty advisers would develop and test the vehicle over a two-year period to measure its performance.

Mazzola expects an increase in fuel economy and a reduction in carbon emissions.

Mazzola says the vehicle would have an extension cord to charge its battery from an electrical outlet and an electric motor and battery as the primary power source.