Gamechanging Hybrid Vehicles That Hit The Market

While interest in electric and hybrid vehicles is growing by the day, the truth is that it all started more than 100 years ago. Early tinkerers envisioned marrying the power of gasoline engines with the efficiency of electric motors. Porsche dabbled in hybrid technology in the early 1900s, and General Motors even had its own experimental hybrid concept, the XP-883. However, it wasn’t until the jolt of the 1973 Oil Crisis that the need for a practical hybrid solution became truly urgent.

Car manufacturers poured resources into developing hybrids, but a true production car remained elusive. Then, in 1997, Toyota unveiled the Prius, the first mass-produced hybrid to hit the mainstream market. The Prius quickly captured the hearts (and wallets) of environmentally conscious drivers, becoming the best-selling hybrid car in the world.

The success of the Prius opened the floodgates for hybrid innovation. Today, hybrids are no longer synonymous with just fuel efficiency. We now have high-performance hybrids that offer impressive power and acceleration, proving that hybrids can be both practical and exciting.

UPDATE: 2024/03/31 13:00 EST BY ANIEBIET INYANG NTUI

To stay ahead of the curve, this article has been comprehensively updated to reflect the latest information available on all the models listed here previously, and also a few more entries that deserve a spot here.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various automakers and other authoritative sources such as HotCars and CarBuzz.

1 Honda Insight – The First Mass-produced Hybrid In The U.S.

Starting Price: $20,495*

Honda introduced the Insight in November 1999, making it the first mass-produced hybrid car available for sale in North America (beating the Toyota Prius to market by seven months). It was also the first car to use Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system and boasted an impressive drag coefficient of 0.25, making it the most aerodynamic production car of its time.

The first generation Insight, powered by a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine and an electric motor, achieved a combined 73 horsepower and impressive fuel economy of 70 mpg on the highway and 61 mpg in the city. However, its two-door design and lack of power compared to conventional cars limited its appeal to a niche market. By the end of its production run in 2006, Honda had only sold 14,228 units in the US, falling short of their sales targets.

Honda Insight Specifications

(Specs sourced from Honda)

Honda took a break from the Insight but reintroduced a revamped version in 2009. This second-generation Insight offered a more practical five-door hatchback design and better fuel economy. However, its launch coincided with the 2008 recession, impacting sales. Despite being the most affordable hybrid available in the US at the time, it only achieved moderate success. Honda discontinued the second-generation Insight after the 2014 model year.

Undeterred, Honda launched a third-generation Insight in 2019, based on the Honda Civic platform. This iteration offered a more conventional sedan design and better performance than its predecessors. However, sales remained sluggish, and Honda ended Insight production after the 2022 model year. The company opted to focus on hybridizing its core models like the Civic, Accord, and CR-V.

2022 Honda Insight Specifications

(Specs sourced from Honda)

While the Honda Insight never achieved mainstream success, its significance cannot be understated. It paved the way for more practical and powerful hybrids to come, helping to usher in a new era of fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles.

* Starting Price for when the car was available.

2 Toyota Prius – The Most Popular Hybrid

Starting Price: $27,950

The Insight might have been the first hybrid car to be offered in the States, but it never enjoyed the success the Prius had. The Prius was first announced in 1997 in Japan and arrived in the States later in 2000. By 2022, a total of five million units were sold, making the Prius the best-sold hybrid in the world. The Prius evolved a lot during its five generations, too.

Toyota Prius Specifications

(Specs sourced from Toyota & CarBuzz)

The first generation offered in the U.S. was powered by a 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine that delivered a total of 70 horsepower, plus an electric motor that added another 44 horsepower. It offered a combined fuel economy of 41 mpg. Things have changed a lot, and the new generation announced in 2022 is both more powerful and fuel-efficient. The 2023 Prius is powered by a 2.0-liter engine combined with a revised hybrid system that delivers a total of 196 horsepower and 139 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy also went up to 57 mpg on the combined rating.

3 Ford Escape Hybrid – The First Hybrid SUV

Starting Price: $33,340

Shortly after Honda launched the Insight and Toyota the Prius, the hybrid industry boomed, and in 2005 we could start talking about the first hybrid SUV. This was the Ford Escape Hybrid, and it was not only the first hybrid SUV produced for sale, but also the first hybrid produced by an American manufacturer. The Escape Hybrid was powered by an Atkinson inline-four gasoline engine combined with an electric motor that delivered a combined 155 horsepower.

2023 Ford Escape Hybrid Engine Specs

(Specs sourced from Ford)

The first-generation Escape Hybrid was about 70 percent more efficient than the Escape, which, as no surprise, made it very successful: in the second half of 2004 Ford built four times as many hybrid SUVs as it had originally planned. The Escape is currently in its fourth generation, and even if the hybrid model wasn’t produced during its entire existence, it did make a comeback and was also joined by a plug-in hybrid trim too. The Hybrid Escape is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-four gasoline engine combined with two electric motors that deliver a combined 210 horsepower.

4 McLaren P1 – The First Hybrid Supercar

Starting Price: $1.1 million

By the time 2014 came, the hybrid industry changed even more, so we could now talk about hybrid supercars. Porsche had the 918 and Ferrari the LaFerrari, but it was McLaren that launched the P1 first, becoming the first brand in the world to sell a hybrid supercar. The P1 was powered by a 3.8-liter V-8 engine that delivered a total of 727 horsepower and an in-house-developed electric motor that added another 177 horsepower.

McLaren P1 Specifications

(Specs sourced from McLaren & CarBuzz)

The system delivered a combined 903 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, and, in combination with a lithium-ion battery, it ensured a total range of 330 miles. The P1 sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, from 0 to 124 mph in just 6.8 seconds, and it has a top speed of 217 mph. The P1 was also able to run from 0 to 60 mph in 10 seconds in all-electric mode. The P1 was limited to 375 units and had a price of $1.1 million.

5 Cayenne Hybrid S – The First Electrified Porsche Of The Modern Era

Starting Price: $67,700

The Cayenne Hybrid S is the first hybrid Porsche of the modern era. And, we say the modern era because Ferdinand Porsche launched its first hybrid vehicle back in the 1900s. It was known as the System Loaner-Porsche Mixte and each vehicle had motors that were powered by a small engine and batteries. The Cayenne S Hybrid, however, was launched in 2010, three years after Porsche showed a functioning Cayenne Hybrid at the IAA 2007.

2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Specs

(Specs sourced from Porsche)

The production version was powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 engine combined with an electric motor that delivered a total of 380 horsepower and 427 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid SUV paved the way for electromobility in the company. It was followed by the Panamera S Hybrid – the first parallel full hybrid in the luxury car class and the most economical Porsche to date.

6 Toyota RAV4 Prime – The Most Capable Plug-In Hybrid Crossover

Starting Price: $42,340

First launched in 1994, the Toyota RAV4 has a very long history on the market, but a plug-in hybrid model was only added when the fifth generation arrived in 2018. And, in all honesty, Toyota made a very smart move as the RAV4 Prime is currently the best plug-in hybrid SUV you can buy. It combines a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine with two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor generators for a total of 302 horsepower.

Toyota RAV4 Prime Specifications

(Specs sourced from Toyota)

An 18.1-kWh lithium-ion battery offers an all-electric range of up to 42 miles, while the crossover delivers a combined 94 MPGe and can be driven up to 600 miles with a full tank. It runs from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, has 63.1 cubic feet of cargo room, and offers decent off-road specs. And when you also add a starting price of $42,340, it is no wonder it helps increase sales of the RAV4 by a lot.

7 Koenigsegg Regera – Most Powerful Hybrid Supercar

Starting Price: $2 million

Things have improved a lot over the years, and now we can talk about hybrid cars that deliver more power and are faster than any ICE-powered supercar out there. One of these cars is the Koenigsegg Regera – currently the most powerful hybrid in the world. With a design inspired by the Agera, the Regera was first announced at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show where it made a sensation.

Koenigsegg Regera Specifications

(Specs sourced from Koenigsegg and CarBuzz)

It is powered by a 5.9-liter V-8 twin-turbocharged engine and three electric motors that deliver a combined 1,500 horsepower and 1,475 pound-feet of torque. It is also insanely fast, with a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 249 mph – which it can hit in only 20 seconds. The Regera also broke a few records, including the 0 – 400 – 0 km/h acceleration record for a production car with a time of 28.81 seconds – after stealing it from the Rimac Nevera who did the same in 29.93 seconds. The Regera is followed by supercars like the Revuelto (1,015 horsepower) and the SF90 Straddle (986 horsepower).

8 Lamborghini Revuelto – The First V-12 Hybrid In The World

Starting Price: $800,000

Speaking of the Revuelto, it may have lost the battle for the most powerful hybrid in the world, but it is the first V-12 hybrid supercar in the world. Not only that, but the Revuelto is also an important pillar in Lamborghini’s future electrification strategy. The supercar combines a 6.5-liter naturally aspired V-12 engine that delivers a total of 814 horsepower with three electric motors that push the final output to 1,015 horsepower.

Lamborghini Revuelto Specifications

(Specs sourced from Lamborghini & HotCars)

The Revuelto also brings a double-clutch gearbox on a V-12 Lamborghini for the first time. It sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 217 mph. Lamborghini also loaded the Revuelto with all-wheel-drive, torque vectoring, optimal aerodynamics, plus tons of tech features that are a must-have for anyone who can afford it.

9 BMW i8 – The Car That Made Sports Hybrid More Accessible

Starting Price: $136,000

The BMW i8 is not the most powerful or fastest hybrid car out there, but it is the one that made sports hybrids much more accessible. It arrived at the same time with models like the McLaren P1 or Porsche 918 – models priced at $1.3 million and $845,000, respectively. In comparison, the BMW i8 priced at $136,000 seemed like a bargain.

BMW i8 Specifications

(Specs sourced from BMW)

It was powered by a combination of a 1.5-Liter three-cylinder TwinPower Turbo gasoline engine driving the rear wheels with a front-mounted electric motor. The system delivered a total of 369 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque and sprinted the i8 from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. Its low price and decent performance figures made the BMW i8 the world’s best-selling hybrid sports car with more than 20,000 examples sold before 2020.

10 Ferrari SF90 Stradale – The Fastest Accelerating Hybrid Car In Production

Starting Price: $511,250

While the LaFerrari is Ferrari’s first hybrid supercar, the SF90 Stradale is by far the best one. The car is equipped with a turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine, which is capable of producing 769 horsepower on its own, while three electric motors add another 217 horsepower. With a combined 986 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, the SF90 is Ferrari’s most powerful car ever.

Ferrari SF90 Stradale Specifications

(Specs sourced from Ferrari & CarBuzz)

It can also run from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds which makes it the fastest hybrid in production. In all honesty, the Koenigsegg Gemera is the fastest hybrid in the world with a sprint time of 1.9 seconds, but it doesn’t go into production in 2024, so for now the SF90 takes the win. The SF90 Stradale is priced at a little over half a million dollars, which makes it affordable in comparison to other hybrid supercars.

11 Toyota Camry Hybrid – One Of The Most Affordable Hybrid On The Market

Starting Price: $31,000

Starting at $31,000, the Toyota Camry Hybrid positions itself as one of the most affordable hybrid car on the market. But affordability isn’t all it has to offer. The ninth-generation Camry boasts a fresh and captivating design. The sportier, sleeker look is achieved with a hammerhead front fascia, slim LED lights, and a chiseled body. The SE and XSE trims offer additional sporty elements like air ducts, canards, and a rear lip spoiler.

2024 Toyota Camry vs. 2025 Toyota Camry Powertrain Specs

(Specs sourced from Toyota)

The 2025 Camry ditches the gasoline-only option and goes all-hybrid. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is paired with two electric motors in the front-wheel-drive configuration, generating 225 horsepower. The all-wheel-drive variant adds a third electric motor for a total of 232 horsepower. This translates to better performance compared to the 208 horsepower of the 2024 Camry hybrid.

The Camry faces stiff competition from the Honda Accord Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. While the Accord offers similar horsepower, the upcoming Camry boasts a more powerful option with the all-wheel-drive configuration. The Sonata Hybrid falls behind in terms of horsepower due to its single-electric motor setup.

12 Mercedes-Benz S-Class PHEV – The Best Overall Driving Range In A Luxury Car

Starting Price: $127,750

The Mercedes-Benz S580e is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) that offers the best of both worlds for drivers who value luxury and long-distance travel. With an EPA-estimated range of 470 miles and a real-world range of up to 688 miles when combining the battery and gas tank, the S580e can take you far on a single tank and charge.

Mercedes-Benz S580e Powertrain Specs

(Specs sourced from Mercedes)

The S580e boasts an impressive combination of power and efficiency. It features a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six engine and an electric motor, delivering a combined output of 510 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. This translates to a 0-60 mph time of just 4.8 seconds. Additionally, the S580e can be fast-charged at up to 60 kW, allowing you to go from 10- to 80-percent charge in just 20 minutes.

Beyond its impressive performance, the S580e is a true luxury sedan. It features a sumptuous interior with top-quality materials and comfortable seating. The car also boasts a range of advanced driver-assistance systems and cutting-edge technology, making every ride a pleasure.

13 Toyota Tacoma Hybrid – The Only Midsize Hybrid Truck In The U.S.

Starting Price: TBA

The Toyota Tacoma has long been a symbol of rugged capability and reliability. For 2024, Toyota ups the ante by introducing the Tacoma Hybrid, the first-ever mid-size hybrid truck in the U.S. This innovative offering caters to eco-conscious adventurers who crave both power and efficiency without sacrificing off-road prowess. The Tacoma Hybrid boasts the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain that delivers 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque.

Toyota Tacoma Hybrid Engine Specs

(Sourced from Toyota)

Toyota hasn’t forgotten the Tacoma’s off-road heritage. The Tacoma Hybrid comes equipped with features like a Multi-Terrain Select system with Crawl Control and a standard 11.5 inches of ground clearance, making it adept at handling any adventure you throw its way. The Tacoma Hybrid comes in two trims – the Trailhunter and the TRD Pro. Both trims offer the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain, but cater to slightly different preferences.