As if the images of this MSV Explorer prototype amphibious vehicle weren't arresting enough, Cornish inventor Chris Garner claims to have solved the centuries-old conundrum of perpetual motion - which could lead to electric cars that never have to be recharged. Garner ... is utterly convinced that what he's come up with will work, saying he's spent 35,000 hours of science" on the project so far. It's called the "hyper performance gyro generator", and he doesn't just want us to take his word for it - instead he's having it tested ... at the University of Plymouth next week. Garner prefers to call it "self-sustaining energy". He explained that the "gyro gen" functions on the principle that it can go from 1rpm to 6,000rpm with very little in the way of friction or drag. Once spinning it won't stop until it wears out. If the resulting ampage ... is higher than that required to power an electric motor then you've got free fuel for travel. In the example currently under development, the gyro gen produces 1,600 amps, far more than the 400 amps required to drive a pair of motors. The remaining electrical energy could then be used to power ancilliaries, such as air conditioning, lights and so forth. Whether it all works in reality remains to be seen - we'll have a better idea after the tests next week - but it could mean a future free from electric vehicle range anxiety for all of us.