What are hybrid cars and who makes them?

Hybrid cars combine a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) with an electric motor and battery to improve fuel efficiency. Hybrid vehicles are more fuel-efficient than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles because they can use the electric motor to assist the gasoline engine when needed, such as when accelerating or climbing a hill. This reduces the amount of gasoline that the vehicle needs to use. Hybrid cars also typically have regenerative braking systems, which help to capture energy that would otherwise be lost when braking and store it in the battery for later use.

There are many different types of hybrid cars, each with its own unique design. Some of the most common types of hybrids include:

- Full hybrids have both an electric motor and a gasoline engine. The electric motor can power the vehicle on its own, or it can assist the gasoline engine. Full hybrids can typically travel for several miles on electric power alone.

- Mild hybrids have a small electric motor that assists the gasoline engine. Mild hybrids cannot travel on electric power alone, but they can still improve fuel efficiency by reducing the amount of gasoline that the vehicle needs to use.

- Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have a larger battery that can be plugged in to an external power source. PHEVs can travel for longer distances on electric power alone than full or mild hybrids.

Some of the major automakers that produce hybrid cars include:

- Toyota

- Honda

- Ford

- General Motors

- Hyundai

- Kia

- BMW

- Mercedes-Benz

- Lexus

- Audi