6 unboring hybrid cars

For years, it seemed like electric cars were the hot new thing and hybrid cars were just a boring half-step. Hybrid sales barely grew while EV sales took off.

For years, it seemed like electric cars were the hot new thing, and hybrid cars were just a boring half-step. Hybrid sales barely grew while EV sales took off. Suddenly, lots of car shoppers have realized that a half-step is exactly what they want. Hybrid car sales are surging as buyers got the message that electric motors save gas and money but hybrids don’t leave you scrambling for chargers. Hybrids increased from just 5.5% of new car sales in 2021 to 8.4% this year, according to data from Edmunds.com. Broadly speaking, hybrids come in two varieties. First, there are “regular” hybrids in which batteries power an electric motor, or motors, that are charged by the gasoline engine. The batteries can also be charged during braking as the electric motor is used to slow the vehicle, generating electricity. The electric motor is used when only a little power is needed, such as when driving at low speeds or cruising at a steady speed on a flat road. It can also add its power to the gas engine when lots of power is required, such as when accelerating up a hill. The second type is the plug-in hybrid, PHEVs – or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles – combine aspects of hybrids and EVs. A PHEV works like regular hybrids but also has a charging port and more powerful batteries and electric motors. It can can be plugged in and charged and, when fully charged, can usually drive 15 to 35 miles or so without having to use the gas engine at all. Once that EV-only range is used up, they drive like a regular hybrid, relying on the gas engine for peak power needs. Back in the early 2000s, the Prius was one of the first hybrid models offered in the United States. It hasn’t seemed exciting in a long time – at least, until its redesign for the 2023 model year. Now, the formerly lump-shaped Prius is a genuine looker. Shark-nosed and low-slung, it looks like the high-tech car that it is, while getting an EPA-estimated 57 miles a gallon. The Prius isn’t especially thrilling to drive but it is pleasing with a smooth ride and gentle feedback through the steering wheel. It’s also roomy and practical. Plus, it comes in all-wheel-drive and there’s a plug-in hybrid version, the Prius Prime.