Hybrids, Hydrogen and Hype

THE hybrid car has been around for years, but in 2005 it went mainstream. Sales of the Toyota Prius soared, with inventories measured in hours rather than days. Gas-electric powertrains appeared in mainstream Honda Accords and in S.U.V.’s from Ford, Mercury, Toyota and Lexus.

Even skeptical General Motors joined the parade; BMW and DaimlerChrysler joined G.M.’s effort to develop a new type of powertrain. Porsche said it would work with Volkswagen on a hybrid, and hybrid flagships are coming from Lexus and Mercedes-Benz.

nytimes