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In 1901 Ferdinand Porsche developed the Lohner-Porsche Mixte Hybrid, the first gasoline-electric hybrid automobile in the world. The hybrid-electric vehicle did not become widely available until the release of the Toyota Prius in Japan in 1997, followed by the Honda Insight in 1999.he hybrid-electric vehicle did not become widely available until the release of the Toyota Prius in Japan in 1997, followed by the Honda Insight in 1999.
The theory behind hybrid cars. What sets hybrids apart from regular cars is that they essentially use two powertrains, an electric motor and a gasoline engine. The electric motor draws its power from a large battery pack that is recharged by the gas engine and by energy recouped from the brakes.ybrids blend the power of a gas engine with an electric motor and batteries. But the two powertrains can be combined in a variety of ways--some more efficient than others. The hybrids with the best gas mileage tend to be full hybrids.