Simply put, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to make the vehicle run.  The point of creating hybrid vehicles is to create cars that are less toxic to the environment and more fuel efficient.  When a hybrid car is idling, the gasoline or diesel engine will shut down, allowing battery power to take over.  Cars that run on batteries are QUIET and do not emit the noxious emissions that gasoline or diesel powered cars do.  When a hybrid car runs at full power, both the electric and gas powered sources are tapped.

The Toyota Prius, at a price of $23,000 or less, is a great choice when you consider the average price for a car in it’s category is $28,000.  The Prius gets an average of 48 miles to the gallon which makes the average gas mileage for a non-hybrid (about 25 miles a gallon) look ridiculous. 

  The 2008 Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius was the first mass produced gas/electric hybrid in 1997 where it went on sale in Japan.  The Prius became available to the United States in 2000.  Easily, the Prius has become one of the most popular hybrid vehicles in the world.

Hybrid vehicles save precious fossil fuels that can be put to better use elsewhere.  Although a hybrid vehicle is not going to go from zero to sixty in less than ten seconds, a hybrid vehicle will help ensure that your children have clean air to breathe.

The Pivo 2, from Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., has created a new, advanced electric concept car and it is the Nissan Pivo 2.

Powered by four motors, one in each wheel, the Pivo 2 is designed as an urban commuter vehicle that seats three.  (I would love to meet the three people that fit inside this car).  The Pivo 2 is powered by advanced Compact Lithium-ion Batteries and employs “by-wire” technologies for breaking and steering.

Although cute, the car may not be able to survive on looks alone.  With a cabin that fully rotates and tires that turn 90 degrees, the Pivo 2 has made driving in reverse obsolete.  Parking is no longer a problem either, turn the wheels ninety degrees and drive sideways.  Now the only concern is finding a parking space.

Not only can this car drive sideways and do an about face, due to a highly innovative Robotic Agent, this car can talk to you as well.  The Pivo 2 can converse with passengers in either Japanese or English, making the commuter’s trip a little less stressful.  Not only can the Pivo 2 talk you down from ramming the car in front of you, the Pivo 2 can locate the nearest available parking. 

The Pivo 2 has a moon-eyed talking head on the dash that watches the road and navigates.  Your facial expressions are also read by the moon-eyed head and watch out, the car will try to cheer you up if you look agitated.  I am not sure about anyone else, but if my car could talk in certain situations, it might find itself parked into the nearest garage until it could behave itself.

The Pivo 2 is not slated for release any time in the near future.  A good concept, but not very practical.