The Best Of Both Worlds

The BMW i8 is a hybrid car, but you probably wouldn't guess that from its appearance.

Over a decade ago, hybrids slowly started to emerge in the auto industry. To say that they weren’t a hit amongst auto enthusiasts would be an understatement. Despite this, most people with even the slightest interest in cars could probably tell you that the Toyota Prius was the first hybrid car on the road.

The Fisker Karma features solar panels on its roof which
provide extra power for the car's tech accessories. 

But what if I told you that this wasn't true? The first ever gasoline-electric hybrid car was invented in by Prof. Ferdinand Porsche, who unveiled his Lohner Porsche to the public in 1900. While hybrids and their various technologies have changed greatly over the years, I’m only going to focus on their evolution following the introduction of the Prius. Love it or loathe it, the Prius has been the poster car for the hybrid movement. But first, it’s important to understand how these cars work.

Simply put, all gasoline-electric hybrids have a gas tank just as traditional cars do, but they also have large capacity (or a series of) batteries that’s able to store electricity that gets generated from when the car’s brakes are applied while driving. Then, at certain speeds or range of distances, the car is able to use its electric motor to start driving from a stop, before the gas engine kicks in at a higher speed. The Atlantic has a great infographic to better explain how hybrids work.

Porsche's Cayenne S E-Hybrid caters to enthusiasts 
looking for both performance and decent mileage.

Years ago, hybrid technology was confined to cars that looked rather boring, or were downright hideous in appearance. Luckily nowadays, luxury manufacturers are honing in on the popularity of hybrids. Porsche recently unveiled a plug-in hybrid model of their popular Cayenne SUV, which produces a whopping 416 hp when combining its gas and electric powertrains. BMW created an entirely new i series of cars, including its i8 sports car, which features a three-cylinder gas engine with a plug-in electric motor.

As a car enthusiast, older hybrids like the Prius really got to me. I could appreciate the technology behind them and how they were more environmentally friendly, but they were sluggish to drive and dull to look at. Fortunately, this new breed of hybrids has a variety of vehicles available to those looking for a cheaper commuter vehicle, to supercars that can be raced on the track. Looking at the latest hybrid supercars produced by Porsche, Ferrari, and McLaren gives me faith in hybrid technology after all.