Power, reliance, convenience, economy and style all incorporated in one! This is how hybrid could be well defined.

One if the massively searched vehicle on the web’s search engines is the hybrid truck. Though it is believed to be extra huge, less fuel eating vehicle it is popular due to its exquisite features and capabilities.  Hybrid trucks are also known as pickups. Today hybrid vehicles have internal combustion engine propulsion system combined with an electric propulsion system.

The first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle was manufactured by Porsche in 1990, however the hybrid SUVs did not gain popularity until the Japanese Toyota produced Toyota-Prius in 1997. In its early times this SUV was considered to be an unnecessary vehicle to own. However, today rise in fuel prices has changed the consumer as well as the manufacturer’s perception. Hybrids are now considered an important product of the automobile industry.

Hybrid engines can be classified into three different kinds based on the power supply techniques. Parallel Hybrids have ICE and the electric motor both connected to the mechanical transmission device, thus they can transmit power at the same time. This system is often used in Honda and General motors. In Series Hybrids only the electronic motor drives the drivetrain where as the ICE is used to generate power to the electric motor and charge or recharge batteries. These vehicles have comparatively smaller engine. Third is the power-split hybrid, which integrates both series and parallel characteristics. These vehicles are therefore, more efficient and powerful.

According to the automotive market statistics, Toyota is the market leader with extensive growth in the units sold per year. According to February 2011 data, Toyota marked 3 million hybrid units sold in 80 different regions of the world.