See a hybrid vehicle and you probably automatically think of fuel economy. The hybrids currently on the market do enhance fuel economy by using a combination of gasoline engines and electric motors, but hybrids can also be built for performance. Electric motors produce strong torque at low speeds, while gasoline engines typically need higher rpm to reach maximum torque. Combine these two characteristics in the right proportions and you can have a vehicle that can put performance sports cars to shame. Unfortunately, for the enthusiast, hybrids have had limited transmission choices, and although efficient, they have been more utilitarian than sporty. That has now changed with the introduction of Honda’s CR-Z CanadianDriver » Auto Tech » Auto Tech: Honda
