Pick up trash, turn it into electricity, power the truck that goes out to pick up more trash. Repeat.

That's the idea behind a new Smith Edison Transit electric garbage truck that has just starter service in Huddersfield in the UK. The truck picks up the rubbish and brings it to a nearby Energy from Waste recycling center. The garbage is burned and used to generate electricity that is then fed into the truck's batteries - oh, and also into the grid. This is not nearly as cool as a Mr. Fusion-like system that would generate power on-board, but it is much more practical and is realistic now in 2009. We'll see if Ford decides to add a workplace garbage-fuel option to their new Transit Connect EV.