According to the Oxford dictionary, the word ‘hybrid’ refers to a thing consisting of two combined elements. When we talk about cars being hybrid, it refers to cars that have a petrol engine and an electric motor. We know that conventional cars use diesel or petrol as fuel for the internal combustion engine. The best hybrid cars also use gasoline, but they have a combustion engine with an electric motor and battery. Often criticized for their low performance, hybrid cars have never satisfied many car owners. But to prove them wrong, we have listed the 20 best hybrid cars in the world, known for great performance, amazing style, and good speed.
20 Best Hybrid Cars In The World
20. Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid drives 38 miles per gallon. The Sonata Hybrid met the consumer’s taste, just like the original car, due to its competence and affordability.
19. The Ford C-Max Hybrid
Ford C-Max, or the Ford Focus C-Max Hybrid, took tenth place among the best hybrid cars in 2014. It can drive up to 40 miles and consume only one gallon in the process. Ford’s C-Max Hybrid was recognized by the Green Car Journal during the 2012 Washington Auto Show and won the 2012 Green Car Vision Award.
18. Toyota Avalon Hybrid
The Avalon is one of the best hybrid cars from Toyota. It consumes one gallon of fuel every 40 miles. Critics say the car has plenty of room for passengers, especially in the back. All seats have been designed to be comfortable for an optimal driving experience.
17. The Toyota Camry Hybrid
The Toyota Camry Hybrid runs at 41 miles per gallon and also boasts 200 horsepower. It is one of the most economical hybrid cars. The Camry Hybrid has minor modifications compared to the conventional Camry, which became one of the bestsellers on the market. This new and improved Toyota Camry Hybrid has a slightly new style, while the cameras, especially in the rear view, have also been improved. The car’s accessories have also been revised and renamed.
16. The Honda Insight
This car brand said goodbye in 2014 but is still one of the hybrid cars that consumers prefer. It goes at around 42 miles per gallon. It has been on the market for about fifteen years.
15. Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
The Lincoln model is a product of Ford, which was originally called Lincoln Zephyr. It is the pioneer product of the “MK” series of the luxury line of Lincoln automobiles. It was first introduced to the US market in September 2010.
14. Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
Volkswagen car models have been popular all over the world for ages. Designed based on old models of car produced 30 to 40 years ago, the Jetta manages 45 miles to the gallon.
13. Honda Civic Hybrid
At 45-46 miles per gallon, the Honda Civic Hybrid is an improved version of the Honda Civic. The hybrid class was first introduced in Japan in early 2001. The California Air Resource Board in the U.S. classified the Honda Civic Hybrid as the first hybrid car to receive the title of Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emissions Vehicle or AT-PZEV. Just like the Honda Insight, it has an integrated engine assistant.
12. Ford Fusion Hybrid
It is said that this model of a hybrid car is one of the most efficient and reliable cars in the world. The Fusion made the name Ford popular because it can go 47 miles to the gallon. It is the improved version of Ford’s mid-size Fusion sedan. It was named North American Car of the Year in 2010. Along with other Ford car models, it was also named Green Car of the Year for the year 2013. The Ford Fusion Hybrid was launched in 2009.
11. Honda Accord Hybrid
This Honda Accord Hybrid is capable of outperforming models such as the Fusion, Camry, Civic and Jetta. For years the Accord has been of great importance to car manufacturers and is a unique car model. It has evolved into a 2-door hatchback and then into a sedan that is perfect for families. Now it has been transformed into a stylish vehicle with special features.
10. Mercedes C-class Saloon
Its interior is similar to the standard C-Class that consumers are familiar with. Previously Mercedes used the C-300 BlueTEC, another hybrid diesel plug-in. Today the C-350 eSport replaces the old diesel plug-in. It has a 2.0-litre engine and guarantees an economy of 134mpg. Its CO2 emissions are 48 g/km. There is a special charging station to make recharging easier. The AIRMATIC air suspension system from Mercedes lets the car conquer rough, bulky roads.
9. Lexus CT Hatchback
The Lexus CT hatchback releases 82 g/km of CO2. It can be classified with the Toyota Prius but belongs to the luxury class. The car has undergone a transformation in which the price has been lowered and the equipment improved. It supposedly has the most comfortable car seats, with a wealth of standard kits that have made it popular with consumers.
8. Toyota Yaris Hatchback
Unlike the Prius model, the Toyota Yaris has a smaller hatchback. The model has light steering, solid dimensions, and automatic transmission, which has given the car the status of being one of the best vehicles that can be driven in the city, despite the fact that London’s Congestion Charges would apply to this particular vehicle.
7. The Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrids
While owners of the Toyota Yaris Hatchback pay the London Congestion Charge, owners of the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid are exempt. The fuel consumption is more-or-less 149 mpg, and less than 50g per km of emissions. It manages 30 miles when powered solely by electricity. It is airy, compact and the comfort the car offers has never been neglected. But the drawback of choosing this model is that it is quite expensive.
6. Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius was primarily classified as a minimal hybrid. It is indisputably one of the 20 best hybrid cars. If you just used electricity to power the car, it could only drive up to 12.5 miles. But, the Prius has been upgraded, and today the Toyota Prius is in line with other groups of hybrid cars. The car’s interior and cabin have been improved, with fully-equipped fixtures, satellite navigation and standard transmissions. The price is also a lot more reasonable than several other hybrid cars.
5. The Audi A3 Sportback Hatchback
In the Audi A3, electric motors are used in conjunction with a TFSI turbocharged gasoline engine with a displacement of 1.4 liters. Just like the regular A3 Sportback, the car is spacious enough for a family. The interior is well designed and maintained.
4. Lexus IS 300h
This is the type of car model that fits into the group of top cars. Even if you pay more for it than for other hybrid cars, it would still be acceptable because this model is one of the best. The Lexus IS 300h can’t work if it’s only powered by electricity. The electric motor only improves the petrol engine and reduces CO2 emissions.
3. Volkswagen Golf Hatchback
The VW Golf GTE can travel 30 miles with an electric motor, so commuters can travel without using any fuel. It is not as fast as the Golf GTI or Golf GTD models, but it is lively enough, just like a real hybrid. The car is spacious, comfortable, and the interior is snug.
2. Mitsubishi Outlander PHET SUV
The Outlander, just like the Volkswagen Golf hatchback, can go 30 miles without the petrol engine, but in contrast to the standard Outlander, the boot is 14 liters smaller. It seems to achieve its market success because the price of the car is similar to that of the standard Mitsubishi Outlander. This became possible when the government granted a discount for plug-in hybrids.
1. The BMW i3 Hatchback
This model originally existed as an electric car. The other version, the “Range Extender”, is an electric car with a small motor that supports the electric motor in case the battery needs to be charged. The electric motor can power the car for a day as long as it doesn’t travel long distances or on the open road, making it one of the 20 best hybrid cars in the world. The driving characteristics and interior equipment are of high quality. The exterior design is a real eye-catcher. The only drawback to this BMW i3 its score on the Euro NCAP rating for crash safety, which is only four out of five.
More About Hybrid Cars
Hybrid Cars With Electricity
One of the important things that differentiate hybrid cars from conventional vehicles is that they can be partially or fully powered by electricity. This has a positive impact on the environment because it causes less pollution and uses less fuel in operation. The hybrid car uses electricity to start the car’s engine after it stops at traffic lights or after it has reached its destination.
Hybrid Cars With Batteries
The best hybrid cars have larger batteries. These large batteries contain sockets that are used during charging. The batteries power the car to deliver electricity, allowing the car to continue to function. This is very useful, especially when running out of diesel or petrol. In the meantime, the electricity given off by these batteries can be a substitute for diesel and petrol. When the car stops or is in traffic, the batteries are responsible for supplying the car with power for the air conditioning and other accessories.
Features Of A Hybrid Car
Idle-off: This is the automatic reaction of the conventional vehicle engine when a car stops.
Power Assist: This is about the diesel or petrol engine and the electric motor of the hybrid car. This function reduces the work of the petrol engine. A hybrid car can be powered by the gasoline engine, but it could never work without the support of the electric motor.
Regenerative braking: While conventional vehicles use friction braking to slow down the vehicle, hybrid vehicles have regenerative braking, which absorbs some of the vehicle’s electricity and stores it in the battery to use it.
Electric-only: This happens when the car is running only electricity and not on diesel. This function is perfect for low speeds and when starting the car’s engine. With larger batteries and a larger engine, hybrid cars can travel up to 10 to 30 miles on electricity alone.
History Of Hybrid Cars
Between 1665 and 1680 the first small four-wheeled steam vehicle was designed. The Flemish Jesuit priest Ferdinand Verbiest, who was also an astronomer, planned this steam car for a Chinese emperor. In 1769, Nicolas Cugnot created a steam-powered motor carriage that could travel up to six miles per hour. But it was the British inventor, Goldsworthy Gurney, who built the very first steam-powered motor car that could travel up to 85 miles for almost ten hours. In 1839, Scot Robert Anderson built the first electric car. The first car with a heavy storage battery and electric motor was created by Sir David Salomon in 1870. Between 1890 and 1910, great changes took place, especially when H. Tudor introduced the modern lead battery, while Edison and Junger produced the nickel-iron battery.
In 1897, the London Electric Cab Company used cars made by Walter Bersey. It was called a Bersey Cab and used an electric engine with 3 motors and a 40 cell battery. In 1900, during the National Automobile Show in New York, a survey was conducted which showed that American automobile companies produced a total of 1,575 electric cars, 936 gasoline cars and 1,681 steam cars. In 1904, Henry Ford made gasoline-powered cars, which improved the smell of cars and caused less noise and vibration. He also opened a number of cheaper, gas-powered and lightweight cars; this was the beginning of the decline of electric car companies.
Piper, an American engineer, submitted an official document for the production of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles in 1905. He formulated the idea that a combustion engine could function better with the help of an electric motor by running it at 25 miles per hour. The period from 1920 to 1965 was the time when the production of electric and hybrid cars flourished. In 1966, the U.S. Congress passed the first bill authorizing the use of electric cars as a means of reducing air pollution.
The year 1991 was the time when the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), a program of the Department of Energy, pioneered the main program, which was to create a “super” battery to be used in practical electric vehicles. The NiMH battery was introduced and this battery proved to be better than lead-acid batteries. It also worked better in cold weather.
Europe launched the first hybrid car, an Audi, in 1997. It was in 1999 when Honda introduced the two-door Insight. It was the first hybrid car to become popular in the US. It even received a number of awards. Toyota’s Prius was introduced in 2000 as the earliest four-door hybrid sedan in the US. Honda Company’s Honda Civic Hybrid sold a petrol-electric car, the second commercial hybrid car they created in 2002. In September 2004, Ford introduced the first American hybrid car, which was the original SUV hybrid. It was called the Escape Hybrid.
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