EUSTIS, Fla. -- A small Central Florida town is using cutting-edge technology to try to change the way its residents drive.

The city of Eustis has unveiled a Rubestation, a giant metal structure that looks like a stylish bus stop shelter, which harnesses solar power.

"We have to make a transition away from a totally fossil-fuel economy, and here in the Sunshine State we have an almost infinite source of energy," said Bill Ferree, the president of RubeLab, a nonprofit organization in Lake County.

He was referring to the sun, and solar panels soon to be fitted on the roof of the Rubestation will send power to Progress Energy's power grid. The power will then be utilized by electric-car drivers, who can stop at a charging station and top off their battery for free.

Very few electric cars are currently used on roadways, but by the end of this year, two of the major car companies promise electric vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt.

"The photo-voltaic panels provide power back into the grid at a time of day, typically between one and five (o'clock), when power is most expensive for the power company. So it's a win-win situation. We lower our carbon footprint, we generate power, we reduce traffic congestion, and we employ people," said Taylor Johnson, found director of RubeLab.

The Rubestation is the brainchild of RubeLab, which Ferree calls a grassroots effort by people with the expertise and desire to create change.

"We hope our technology backgrounds and our understanding of science and some of the environmental problems we face will allow us to develop some fixes to those problems," Ferree said.

The men and women of RubeLab said they won't be satisfied with just juicing the few electric cars on the road right now, hoping to sell the city leaders of Eustis on the idea and transforming most, if not all, city works vehicles into electric cars.

"We hope the city will do the calculation and come to the conclusion that a small, electric vehicle will save it money," Ferree said.

Local real estate developer Al Chiodi said switching from gas to electric made sense to him.

And now with the help of the downtown Eustis Rubestation, he'll be able to make better use of his time while doing more to protect the environment.

"I think it's really going to be the next step in letting these cars be a factor in saving fuel nationwide," Chiodi said.

RubeLab said the true cost of the Rubestation is about $20,000, but with donations of time and materials by local businesses and financial help provided by the city of Eustis, the structure ended up costing about a third of that price.