Motor Trends Automobile of the Year for 2004, North American Auto of the Year in 2004, 2004 International Motor of the Year, 2005 European Car of the Year, 2006 Energuide Award in the Midsize segment, this and more are the accolades given to the Toyota Prius Hybrid powered vehicle. Undoubtedly one of the most popular and most regarded competitor in the ever growing hybrid segment, the Toyota Prius has definitely made a marked in the motor industry.

The Toyota Prius is a Hybrid car that makes a bold statement against environmental conservation and the rising gasoline prices. It is also the first ever mass-produced gas/electric vehicle for commercial purposes. Its name itself means first.

The Toyota Prius hybrid powered car was first sold in Japan in 1997 before it was distributed all over the globe 4 years later in 2001. Its fondness was boosted by environmentalists touting it as the automobile for the future to save our planet from air contamination. Sales in North America ws strong and increasing annually. By fall of 2006, the Toyota Prius gas/electric vehicle had the strongest demand and has the longest preorder and waiting list there is presently.

Toyota sees the Prius as a venue that would provide the customers with a car that would produce less pollution and to be very energy efficient. And Toyota certainly reached that goal. They created the Prius from the bottom up resulting to a true hybrid vehicle that is loved worldwide.

Toyota engineers came up with a couple of ways to develop the Toyota Prius hybrid powered car to be unlike other previous concept electric autos, the Prius doesn’t ever need to be plugged in for recharging. The two electric motor generators get its power from the gasoline engine, recharging while the engine performance is being used. Also, through regenerative braking, a process that recovers kinetic energy when the automobile brakes and transforming it to electrical energy to replenish the batteries.

By 2004 a second generation of Toyota Prius hybrid was released on the market. Capitalizing on the development of the new Hybrid Synbergy Drive technology, the previous Toyota Hybrid System was replaced in the new generation Toyota Gas/electric vehicles. Many improvements were developed and infused in the technology making the Toyota Prius hybrid car even better than before.

Aside from the motor, Toyota added more room to the Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle making it wider and taller allowing for taller people to sit erect inside the automobile and allowing more views of the road.

Because of the success brought by the Toyota Prius hybrid car and the public awareness it has developed, Toyota has extended its Hybrid lineup to their other cars, trucks and suvs. This includes the Toyota Camry hybrid and their top of the line Lexus marquee with the Lexus RX400H.

Truly, the Toyota Prius hybrid powered car has gone a long way. Its engineering superiority and its excellent reputation has made it a great choice for many people. Even a lot of notable famous people have bought themselves a Toyota Prius gas/electric vehicle to show their support to ecological awareness.

Toyota has definitely hit the nail in the head with the Toyota Prius gas/electric car and we can expect to witness more of this technology in the future. With Toyota's dedication to this endeavor, we can be certain that we can finally cut down on gas consumption and save our planet.