It’s hard to imagine the world without hybrid cars.
More than 20 years ago in Japan, the Toyota Prius was the first of these cars produced for the mass market. Two years later, the Honda Insight was available in both the United States and Japan. Today, not only are there more hybrid options available, they also have a significant place in the automotive market.
From Chevrolet, to Kia, BMW, Audi, Honda, Toyota, and counting – more and more cars have the capability to run on both electric and traditional gas fuel at a more affordable price. While drivers can have the satisfaction of using less fossil fuels, plug-in hybrids also allow greater flexibility and eases some of the “range anxiety” drivers face when only relying on electric charges for their commutes.
Lake Effect automotive contributor Mark Savage notes that the plug-in hybrids have also come a long way in design and power.
"You don't feel much difference in the hybrids anymore than you used to, and the plug-ins in particular," he says. "What is different on any electric car is how smooth it is and how quiet it is because initially you're running on all-electric power."
Our other automotive contributor Dan Harmon recently test drove the 2018 Chevrolet Volt for a week, which can get up to 50 miles on electric only. However, did it stand up to its competitors in design, cost, and efficiency? Listen to find out and to learn more about the plug-in hybrid car trends:
