One could fairly call Toyota the global leader in hybrid technology. Toyota built the first mass-produced hybrid, the Prius, which has been on American roads for more than two decades. Toyota has been at the forefront of using hybrid technology for both efficiency and performance. Toyota has incorporated hybrids into virtually its entire vehicle lineup, ranging from economy cars to family crossovers to prestigious body-on-frame trucks and SUVs.
Hybrids have evolved. Traditional hybrids, like the Prius that utilize engine braking to recharge the battery, are still available. We also have plug-in hybrids, which, as the name suggests, use external power to charge larger batteries that provide all-electric range. And manufacturers are beginning to launch extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), which flip the script and use a gasoline engine to charge the batteries that power the electric motors.
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