The evolution of the hybrid car is no doubt a fascinating one, but it also has a history that spans several centuries, a fact that many are surprised to learn. Long before the sporty, fuel efficient hybrids of today, the idea for the first hybrids involved using steam as a power source, and “cars” could reach speeds of a whopping six miles per hour.

In 1839 a man by the name of Robert Anderson living in Scotland created the very first moving vehicle that used electricity as power. Fifty years later in Germany, a young Dr. Ferdinand Porsche built his first car called the Lohner Electric Chaise, which also happened to be the world’s first front-wheel drive car, and could travel for about 40 miles using just the battery alone.

The 20th century saw a boom in hybrid vehicles in the United States, and ironically, it was Henry Ford and the advent of his gasoline, self-starting engine that could be mass produced on assembly lines that led to the decline in hybrids. Once Ford was able to greatly improve upon the gas engine, mainly reducing loud noise and offensive odors, the electric vehicle dejectedly took the backseat in the automotive industry.

In the 1970s, gas prices skyrocketed, once again sparking new interest in a vehicle that uses electricity. In West Germany, the Volkswagen company produced a hybrid car called the VW Taxi. This vehicle was designed to switch between an electrically powered motor and a gasoline engine, much like the hybrids of today.

In the United States, AM General, which was a division of American Motors (AM), began producing electric vans for government use in 1975. Governmental programs were soon in place to advance and improve upon this exciting technology of the future. Laws were also soon enacted that enabled the auto industry to work with the government for the improvement of hybrid vehicles and their components.

In the 1980s when plans to protect the environment really came to the forefront, several different companies tried their hand at developing their own unique hybrid cars, none of which were very powerful or could hold a charge for as long as our fast-paced society would require. A few years later in 1992, Toyota announced its plans to develop a vehicle that would produce the lowest possible emissions and would therefore be the best for the environment.

Fast forwarding from the days of the inception of the Ford Motor Company to nearly a hundred years later in 1994, the head of the Toyota Motor Corporation asked their engineers to create a vehicle combining the use of gasoline as well as electricity, but also doubled in fuel economy. Three years later, the Toyota Prius was unveiled to the Japanese market, a full two years ahead of schedule, selling nearly 20,000 cars that first year.

In 1997, Audi began mass producing a hybrid vehicle in Europe, the Audi Duo, although its minimal success was very short-lived and then discontinued. In 1999, Honda created the Insight, a two-door hybrid that received several awards due to its favorable mileage ratings.

The following year in 2000, Toyota introduced the rest of the world to the Prius, making it the first four-door hybrid available in the US. The Prius became so popular that in 2004 there was a six month waiting list for consumers who wished to purchase the car as Toyota proudly proclaimed it to be the best selling vehicle they ever had.

The future is bright for hybrid cars as technology continues to advance, finding ways of saving more energy, using less fuel, and needing less maintenance. Now, there are several automobile manufacturers that have a variety of hybrid models, including SUVs available on the market today.