Summary:

• **What are hybrid cars?** Hybrid cars use two different types of engines working together—a regular gasoline engine and an electric motor—to make cars run more efficiently. By switching between these two power sources, hybrid cars use less gasoline and create less pollution than regular cars.

• **Ford's early hybrid cars:** Ford was one of the first car companies to build hybrid cars for regular people to buy. These early hybrid vehicles showed that combining electric and gas power could help cars go farther on less fuel, which was exciting for both car makers and people who wanted to help protect the environment.