In our minds, the term "hybrid" refers to a wave of contemporary cars that aim to protect the environment and the rest of nature, but this term has a history that goes back more than 100 years, during which these engines have undergone many phases, challenges, and developments that have led to how things are right now.
In this article, we intend to go together along a timeline that follows the roots of the hybrid concept to the dynamic present that we are now seeing and to arrive at what the future of these cars may be in a challenging competition with electric vehicles.
Beginnings: From concept to reality
We've arrived in Vienna, Austria, in 1899, when a brilliant idea in the mind of famous engineer Ferdinand Porsche sparkled and his imagination was able to frame a hybrid car, relying on a gasoline engine that powered the electric motor at the front wheels by force.
Three hundred units were produced on time, but with the start of production of gasoline engine-based Ford cars at low prices, there has been a decline in the production of new hybrids due to their high prices and poor performance compared to competitors, and this has been the case for nearly 50 years.
The Comeback of Hybrid Engines
You might find it hard to believe that a political decision made in the halls of the US Congress was the main reason behind the revival of the idea of hybrid engines in 1960, following the decision of oil-exporting Arab countries to sever ties with the US in protest of the US government's support for the Israeli occupation army in the 1973 war.
For the next 25 years, researchers continued working on studies and spent millions of dollars on hybrid development, but production of hybrid-based cars remained very low until 1997, when Toyota launched the Prius in Japan, leading to an all-new era in the automotive world.
The Rebirth
The first generation of Toyota Prius
In 1999, Honda released a big number of hybrid-based Honda Insights, but the real success was for the Toyota Prius after it debuted in the United States of America and achieved legendary sales, serving as an inspiration for several hybrid cars that were produced by different brands later on.
Milestones in the hybrid story
Plug-in Hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander
In 1969, GM created the XP-883 concept car in response to US congress legislation, however, it was unsuccessful and never went into production
China introduced the BYD F3DM in 2008 as the world's first mass-produced Plug-in hybrid car
The Plug-in Hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander was a turning point in hybrid history; its 2012 appearance indicated the beginning of the use of hybrids to SUVs, and it has sold 300,000 units globally from launch to 2022
The Porsche 918, McLaren P1, and LaFerrari were the first hybrid supercars, combining their legendary performance with reduced carbon emissions, in 2013
The Hybrid Future
Some predict that hybrid vehicles will eventually lose market share in both local and international markets to electric vehicles. Although this is probable, it won't happen anytime soon because there are many concerns regarding electric cars, including a lack of charging spots in cities and on highways. Hybrid cars will continue to be sold on the market for several generations as long as automakers cannot come up with full solutions to these problems.
Toyota is an obvious example of the continuation of hybrid models in future plans; the brand promises a strong return of hybrid sedan cars, which offer a highly aerodynamic yet economical driving experience at the same time. The Japanese brand has not forgotten about sports car enthusiasts, promising them a hybrid engine with an attractive performance by 2025.
We hope that the next time you switch on your Hybrid car and head out to your destination, you remember the long and challenging history these cars went through before they arrived to you, also you can follow the latest Hybrid releases news of different brands, from here.
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