Hybrid Cars offer drivers an innovative, efficient, and affordable option. After years of 'on the road' development, gas-electric hybrid cars have become a practical choice for consumers. The Toyota Prius, the most successful mass-market hybrid and the best-selling hybrid car, is now in its thirteenth year on the US market. Most automakers today are now following suit, with hybrid versions of popular models in planning stages or now in production.
A hybrid car features a small fuel-efficient gas engine combined with an electric motor that assists the engine when accelerating. The electric motor is powered by batteries that recharge automatically while you drive.
There are two types of gasoline-electric hybrid cars: the parallel hybrid and the series hybrid. In a parallel hybrid car, a gasoline engine and an electric motor work together to move the car forward, while in a series hybrid the gasoline engine either directly powers an electric motor that powers the vehicle or charges batteries that will power the motor.