It is in this dedication to excellence and customer satisfaction that sets Toyota above the rest. Now, it enjoys being the top car seller worldwide, beating the long-time leaders and giants like the United States-based General Motors and Germany’s Ford and Volkswagen.

Toyota has been on top for valid and practical reasons. It is determined to snap away leadership from threats and competition.

The strategy adopted by the company in unveiling and marketing hybrid cars is immensely amazing. Today, there are two top hybrid car models originating from Toyota that would surely be on top of your list when you shop around for hybrid cars.

The Toyota Prius hybrid

The Toyota Prius definitely is Toyota’s middle-sized gasoline-electric or otherwise known as hybrid car. This hybrid car, according to earlier buyers are really a joy to drive.

The Toyota Prius relies on an effective combination of the gas engine, the electric motor and a set of battery pack that move and run the hybrid car going along the road.

Prices range from $20,875 for the basic model, going up to about $25,940. Demand for this hybrid car model has outpaced its own production; thus, some buyers are already waiting weeks or even months just so they could own a Prius.

Consequently, Toyota has abruptly increased the production of this hybrid car. As most of the car’s early buyers and owners would tell you, it is definitely worth all the wait.

Prius’ technology

When you are driving a Prius, it would be hard not be amazed by the hybrid car’s technology. Engine starting this hybrid car is not done simply by turning a key the traditional way, spurring ignition.

Initiating this hybrid car is done by pressing the round “Power” push button on the dash. You will also find an interactive, a touch sensitive, a multi-information display monitor or screen that is mounted within in the center console.

This display has a number of modes and can indicate things like energy flow between power and train components, the consumption of fuel, the radio settings, the sensitive climate control, or the many other function of this hybrid vehicle.

But the car’s technology, just like its ultra and unique futuristic styling and exterior design, could be seen either positively or negatively, that would depend on an observer’s point of view.

Overall, the Toyota Prius hybrid  car delivers smoother ride and definitely has ample amounts of rooms for a number of passengers.  The interior volume is also very versatile. Similarly, the lift-back hatch in the rear and the fold down seats in the rear will make make carrying heavier and larger items so easy.

The Toyota Camry

Definitely, no one will be accused of committing reckless driving for purchasing a Toyota Camry hybrid.

This hybrid car model is so safe, dependable, comfortable and attractive, not to mention predictable. Based on the sales volume—about 430,000 units sold in the United States alone in 2005—most Americans are so happy with the reliability and affordability of this set of wheels that are fit for the family.

The Toyota Camry hybrid has been America’s top-selling passenger hybrid vehicle for the past couple of years.

Being practical, why not invest a premium or more for the Toyota Camry hybrid drive, which offers an Environmental Protection Agency high-rating of about 40 miles to a gallon, giving you about 700 miles between breaks or next visit to the nearest gas station?

The Toyota Camry hybrid car is not the industry’s first attempt to offer a hybrid vehicle in an upbeat, vogue and ultra-popular model. In late 2004, rival firm Honda launched the hybrid version of its top seller  Accord—the United States’ second most popular model of car behind the Camry.

But, Honda run short on its effort for hybrids because it used hybrid technology for supposedly better performance rather than for fuel economy, which is deemed more important these times due to the soaring gasoline prices.

Overall, whichever Toyota hybrid car model you choose, for sure you will always be a winner. Toyota really has come up with the best and high-quality cars, hybrid or not, surpassing all the competitors.

For one, cars are usually premium priced and are considered significant investments on the part of the average earning man. Another, because of the high and expensive maintenance cost like gasoline, brake fluid and others, owning a car has become really costly and stressful especially in these trying times.

As time passed by, not only are cars seen as costly and expensive investments of those who can afford them. Environmentalists are also raising concerns over the environmental impact of the cars’ greenhouse emissions to the already depleting ozone layer.

Every now and then, it is observed that geo-political and other forms of conflicts arise in the oil producing region of the Middle East. That is why oil prices are considered the most volatile of all commodities worldwide, adding up to the already piling concerns and woes of the modern day driver.

These are among the primary reasons why car manufacturers have strived so hard to come out with car models and variations that are aimed at addressing growing concerns over soaring oil prices and greenhouse emissions.

Thus, the emergence of new hybrid cars lived on and continuously awe not just the industry but also the overall consumer population.

New hybrid cars

Experts and global industry bodies project or expect at least 15 new hybrid car models to be unveiled or launched in the market within the next couple of years.

Japanese car makers are pioneering in developing and rolling out new hybrid cars. The first batch of these cars surprisingly generated robust and rapid sales, making them the moist sought-after and important segment of the car industry.

Why? Practically because of the overall benefits the consumer will gain from owning or using these hybrids. For one, gasoline consumption will be significantly lessened, making up for a complete overhaul and upgrade of the car’s efficiency.

Another, the environmental impact of hybrid cars is starting to lure concerned citizens into buying hybrid cars that are consistently rising in popularity nowadays. More and more people are being concerned about the environment and the effect of gas emissions to the atmosphere and to global climate conditions.

In the US alone, about 15 of the most popular and reliable car manufacturing companies are planning to unveil five new hybrid cars in 2007 and four in 2008. Two are already introduced to the market in 2006, and another four were previously launched in 2005.

New hybrid car models

Among the new hybrid car models set to capture the car market are the following:

o       Mercury’s Milan Hybrid is a middle-sized vehicle

o       General Motors Corp’s Sierra Hybrid (AHS II) is a full-sized pickup and Yukon Hybrid is a sports utility vehicle

o       Ford has Fusion, a middle sized new hybrid car

o       Chevrolet has sports utility vehicles Tahoe and Equinox

o       Mazda has the Tribute Hybrid, a sports utility vehicle

o       Japanese car maker Nissan is introducing a middle-sized new hybrid car called Altima Hybrid

o       Saturn has VUE, another sports utility vehicle

o       Mercury launched Mariner Hybrid, a middle sized SUV

o       Lexus and Dodge has RX 400h and Ram Hybrid, respectively

o       Giant Toyota has a middle sized sports utility vehicle dubbed as Highlander

Pricing pressures

Because new hybrid cars are the emerging and most advanced in the rising car industry, manufacturers are rushing to outpace each other in this segment not just for charity but for substantial revenue and income.

Thus, you should never be surprised upon knowing that the cheapest new hybrid car models would be priced not as reasonable as you might have expected.

Because the technology used in making and maintaining the new hybrid cars are more sophisticated than the traditional and conventional, assume that the prices would surge astronomically.

It is normal for any model or brand of hybrid cars to be priced at premium or above the average prices for common and usual cars.

Below is a random list of hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles that are available only in the Japanese market were excluded. And this is not to discriminate our Japanese friends because it acknowledged that their hybrid vehicles were the first to reach the world wide market in mass production.

What we have down there is a hybrid vehicles’ list available in Europe and the United States, where the market for hybrid vehicles is huge.

Under Ford, we have hybrid vehicles list that include Ford Escape Hybrid released in 2005. The second is the Mercury Mariner Hybrid, released in late summer of 2004.

The Ford Escape (Code U204) is a compressed crossover SUV. It is sold by the automaker Ford Motor Company in the market since 2001 and priced below the Ford Explorer.

With Honda, the hybrid vehicles listed are Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Accord Hybrid, and Honda Insight. The third one was a recipient of International Engine of the Year Award for 2000.

The Honda Insight is a 2-seater hatchback hybrid automobile. It was the first mass-produced hybrid automobile sold in the United States, introduced in 1999.  According to the EPA, the 5-speed manual transmission variant of this hybrid is the most fuel-efficient automobile sold in the United States. The Insight also features low emissions: the California Air Resources Board gave the 5-speed model a ULEV rating, and the CVT model earned a SULEV rating.

The Honda Civic Hybrid on the other hand, is a hybrid version of the Honda Civic sedan.

For this 2003 model of the Civic, its manufacturer added a variable transmission with an Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system similar to that of the Honda Insight. This has created a fuel efficient hybrid sedan. The current version of this car however, was redesigned.

The Honda Accord Hybrid though, is a hybrid version of the North American Honda Accord. The Accord Hybrid currently is priced at US$3,000 higher than the EX V6 model Accord, and retains the same trim and feature levels.

For the General Motors, their list of hybrid vehicles comprises the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Hybrid, which is considered by many as a Mild hybrid. Also included are the New Flyer and Gillig hybrid buses with Allisons electric drive system as the main feature. The last two are the Opel Astra Diesel Hybrid, and the Saturn VUE Green Line hybrid.

GM launched a hybrid version of the Silverado/Sierra in 2005, as the first ever GM hybrid vehicle. But as what have been said, it is a mild hybrid, strictly speaking. The electric motor serves only as power trimmings, but includes a system that also automatically shuts down when the truck brakes below 13 mph. When this happens, it automatically draws on electric power to restart itself.

The hybrid truck features four 120 volt 20 amp AC outlets. This vehicle is interestingly, suited to those in the building and construction market, since AC power is almost available in their worksite. The extra power reserve of this car makes it well-suited with this particular market.

Toyota on the other hand, includes Prius, the Highlander, and the midsized Camry.

For the record, the Toyota Prius is considered as the world’s first commercially mass-produced hybrid vehicle. But although it went on sale in Japan as early as 1997, its worldwide debut was in 2001.

Records show that in 2003, some 160,000 units were produced specifically for three major markets: Japan, Europe, and North America. In Latin, prius means “before” or “first”. The Prius 2004 model, was redesigned as a midsize hatchback, and was certified as an Advanced Technology Partial zero-emissions vehicle.

Prius has won the Car of the Year awards for Europe, Japan and North America.

Lexus’ list of hybrid vehicles consists of  Lexus RX400h, Lexus LS600hL, and the Lexus GS450h. The last on the list of Lexus, GS450h, is a compact hybrid vehicle.

Other hybrid vehicles that made it to the American market includes Nissan’s  Altima Hybrid; Peugeot’s Peugeot 307 CC Hybride HDi; and Renault’s  Kangoo.

First of, a hybrid car is a vehicle that uses on-board RESS, or rechargeable energy storage system. This is coupled with a fueled propulsion power source for the automobile’s propulsion. Hybrid car is low-gas consuming vehicle, therefore, a low-polluting vehicle.

The last character is particularly important because of the growing consciousness of the people worldwide on the need to conserve the environment.

History points to the clear difference of hybrid with all-electric cars. Electric cars use batteries charged by an external source.  On this note, almost all hybrids, save for those considered as mild-hybrid, still need gasoline and diesel as their fuel source. Other fuels are also available in the form of ethanol or other plant based oils. Hybrid vehicles also use hydrogen gas occasionally.

But what’s in the history of hybrid cars?

The history of hybrid cars is closely intertwined with the history of automobile itself. In 1898, Ferdinand Porsche, a young Czechoslovakian, designed the Lohner-Porsche carriage, a series-hybrid vehicle that utilized a one-cylinder gasoline internal combustion engine. This engine can spun a generator which powered four wheel-mounted electric motors.

The car was eventually presented at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. The said automobile, capable of up to 56 km/h (35 mph) fast destroyed several Austrian speed records. In 1901, it won the Exelberg Rally, with Porsche himself driving the car. Over Mass production during this time was yet to be developed, but for Porsche’s future-looking design, 300 units of this model were sold to the public.

The first Porsche model however, technically speaking as we know Porsch today, was a hand-built aluminum prototype, and was completed on June 8, 1948.

The development of the first transistor-based electric car in 1959, the Henney Kilowatt, heralded a new development in the history of automobiles as a whole, and that of history of hybrid cars in particular.  This transistor-based electric car, paved the way for the electronic speed control. Ultimately, this made the road for the development of modern hybrid electric cars possible.

The Henney Kilowatt was considered as the first modern electric car. It was a product of collaborative work between the National Union Electric Company, Henney Coachworks, Renault, and the Eureka Williams Company. Whilst the sales of the Kilowatt during this time were far from encouraging, its development served as prototype for the other automobiles down the history line of hybrid cars.

Between the 1960s and 1970s, another prototype of the earlier electric-hybrid vehicle was built by Victor Wouk.  Wouk is among the scientists involved with the development of the Henney Kilowatt automobile. For this work, some historians bestowed onto him the honor being the “Godfather of the Hybrid” hybrid cars.

For his pioneering work, Wouk installed a sample electric-hybrid drivetrain into a 1972 Buick Skylark, courtesy GM for the 1970 Federal Clean Car Incentive Program. The program was later axed by the EPA in 1976. Hybrid enthusiast and supporters continued building hybrids automobiles. These models however, were not put into mass production.

In the fading years of the twentieth century however, the history of hybrid cars will take on a new course.

1978, the regenerative-braking hybrid, was developed by Electrical Engineer David Arthurs. The said regenerative-braking is to become the core design concept of most hybrids, currently available in the market. The first attempt of Arthurs used off-the shelf components, including an Opel GT. But the voltage controller that links to the battery motor and the DC generator belonged to Arthurs.

Fast forward in the 1990s

The history of hybrid cars took the final step to modernity in terms of mass production during the Bill Clinton administration. Clinton initiated the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles program in September, 1993, that involved the Department of Energy, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, USCAR, and various governmental agencies. The partnership was tasked to engineer a modern efficient and clean vehicle.

In 2001, this program was replaced George W. Bush’s own hydrogen focused FreedomCAR initiative. The focus of the FreedomCAR initiative was to fund research that are considered high risk for the private sector to engage in. The long term purpose of which is the development and production of petroleum emission.

The success of hybrid vehicles in terms of mass production however, became a reality, when the Japanese car manufacturer entered the American market. This is when the history of hybrid cars finally took its modern development. Honda Insight and Toyota Prius became the modern progenitor of modern day hybrid vehicle available today in the market.

Hybrid cars are a combination of the features of gasoline-powered vehicles and electric cars. The advantage that hybrid cars hold over conventional cars is that they produce fewer emissions and adds considerable mileage.

But first, where did these cars came from and how are they made?

The very first electric vehicle was created by Robert Anderson from Aberdeen, Scotland in 1839. Later in 1870, Sir David Salomon came up with a vehicle equipped with a lightweight electric motor, along with storage batteries that were much too heavy. Predictably, the speed and the range of the car were not so desirable.

Over the years, several automobile manufacturers such as General Motors have improved on the concept of the electric cars, which later evolved into the hybrids that we know today. The most popular of these hybrids are the Insight from Honda and the Prius from Toyota.

These two exceptional vehicles can be used to explain the intricate and sophisticated technology of hybrid cars.

1. Honda Insight

The Insight runs on a system called “Integrated Motor Assist,” a term coined by Honda to describe its electric motor attached to the engine at the position usually occupied by the flywheel. This model has two kinds of transmission, the regular, manual transmission and the automatic one.

The advantages of the electric motor on the Insight are the following:

-It can support the gasoline engine by giving off additional power while the vehicle is climbing up or going down a hill.

-The motor can start the engine by itself without the aid of a starter.

-Captures energy while on the process of braking.

The Insight relies on three main areas for efficiency:

-It makes use of lightweight aluminum for its body to reduce the total weight of the vehicle.

-Utilizes a small engine which operates efficiently, which weighs around 124 pounds only.

-It makes use of advanced aerodynamics. The teardrop shape of the car has a lot to do with its performance.

2. Toyota Prius

The Prius utilizes the power split device, an ingenious gearbox that connects the gasoline engine with the electric motor and generator. This allows the car to function like both parallel and series hybrids. The car does not need a starter also, because the device can make the generator start the engine.

Since the vehicle is on planetary gear set, the speed of the electric motor combined with the ring gear spin decides how fast the car will run.

These cars does not require their batteries to be recharged, because the generator located onboard the vehicles monitors the right amount of energy in the batteries.

Both Toyota and Honda allot long warranties for their hybrid models. Both the Insight and the Prius are on eight-year warranties, and their batteries and motors usually do not need maintenance over the duration of the vehicle.