Top 10 Hybrid Cars

August 02, 2012

A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that is run by two or more power sources. Unlike the conventional cars, that use gasoline as the prime source of power. In such cars, the main idea is to ignite a combustion that can be used to pressurize a piston of the engine which in turn, makes are car move. Now with this method, there are two problems that the present world is facing. The first being the more obvious, rising fuel costs and the fact that this natural resource is going towards finishing one day. The second being the environmental hazard that each car contributes whenever it burns the fuel.

In present day, the hybrid cars are using electric power to run the cars as the secondary fuel to petrol. We list some of the most economic and environmental friendly cars available in present day. (ascending on terms of Miles-per-Gallon)

10. Toyota Highlander Hybrid

The Toyota Highlander is a mid size SUV produced by Toyota. It is categorized as a crossover SUV, the one having features of a passenger vehicle and those of a station wagon as well. Since Japan and Australia had already a vehicle been registered with the Highlander name, Toyota had to rename it as Toyota Kluger. (Kluger means clever or very clever). Toyota started to produce the Hybrid version of Kluger in 2005. In 2007, the 2^nd gen of Toyota Kluger Hybrid started and is in the production cycle since then. Above 100 thousand hybrid versions of highlander have been sold to date.

9. Saturn Vue Hybrid

Need other options for SUV hybrids? Try Saturn Vue Hybrid. Sold by the General Motors’ Saturn brand, was one time, the best selling make of Saturn. Vue is said to be a mild hybrid, or can be termed as an assist hybrid as it somehow helps the initial move of the vehicle. Also it automatically stops the engine when the vehicle comes to halt and then instantly it restarts the vehicle again when it should move.

8. Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

The first Chevrolet make that hits our list, the Chevrolet Malibu is named after the city Malibu, California. It is a midsized sedan vehicle produced by General Motors. Yes this is the same make which was shipped 25,500 in number to Iraq. (For Saddam Hussan’s government, a deal was worth over $100million) The hybrid version was started in 2009, however was discontinued in 2010.

7. Ford Escape Hybrid

In 2004 people used to wonder why do we always see a sedan car as the one having electricity as fuel. What if someone is a SUV lover and needs to shift to the hybrid technology? Ford Motor Company addressed the needs of such customers with its Ford Escape Hybrid, the first SUV with hybrid technology incorporated in it. Ford Escape was already in the market however in 2004 the hybrid version was introduced. This vehicle was first being produced in Japan and US only. Now its production has been shifted to Taiwan and China.

6. Toyota Camry Hybrid

Toyota Camry XV40 is the sixth generation of one of the most famous makes of automobiles. It replaces the old XV30 series. Being produced since 2006, it reached the third best selling hybrid car being produced in the US. Cumulative sales of the Camry Hybrid have reached a figure of 155 hundred thousand approx as of December 2009.

5. Nissan Altima Hybrid

Nissan Altima Hybrid is the first make of Nissan with hybrid technology embedded in it. It was first introduced in 2007 as a 4 door sedan vehicle. This vehicle can be said as the continuation of the Bluebird make of Nissan. The hybrid model is said to be available in only 10 states of the US. One thing about Nissan Altima which makes it so much popular is that it is being used as the taxi and as a cop car with the New York City Police.

4. Honda Insight

The first version of Honda Insight (1^st generation) was a 2 door hatch back model. It is the first vehicle that was introduced with the Honda’s IMA, an acronym for Integrated Motor Assist, system. The 1^st gen was produced from 1999 to 2006. The 2^nd gen was introduced in the start of 2006 in Japan. Later after a month or two, this car was available in USA as well. The 2^nd gen Honda Insight was a 5-door hatchback car. It was the top selling car in Japan for the month of April 2009. The 2^nd generation Honda Insight has sold 143 hundred thousand units across the globe.

3. Honda Civic Hybrid

The Honda Civic Hybrid is the hybrid make of already present and very famous make of Honda by the name of Civic. Honda Civic Hybrid was first made in Japan around 2002. It is only available as sedan but it is told that the Europe version with a hatch back will be available in 2012. It is the first hybrid vehicle to be certified as an Advanced Technology Partial Zero- Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) from California’s Air Resources Board. It was introduced in the USA in 2002 Spring and now ranks as the second best selling electric hybrid car. The global sales exceed a quarter of a million.

2. Ford Fusion Hybrid

The Ford Fusion Hybrid, like Honda’s Civic Hybrid, is the hybrid version of an existing model of Ford, the Ford Fusion. Both the cars are sedan cars, developed by the Ford Motor Company. The Ford Fusion Hybrid was launched in the United States of America in March 2009. This unit is being manufactured in Mexico at Ford’s Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly plant. Ford Fusion Hybrid has won the “North American Car of the Year” award in January 2010.

1. Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is a compact sedan car. The 4 door vehicle is rated as the cleanest vehicle by CARB (California Air Resource Board) sold in United States of America based on smog forming and toxic emissions. Prius started to sell in Japan in 1997 and later in 2001 was introduced worldwide. Prius is sold in access of 70 countries. In September 2010, 2 million units were sold already and more to come.

source : http://www.smashinglists.com/top-10-hybrid-cars/

Tag : Cars

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