One study has compared mild hybrids, such as the Honda Insight and Nissan Tino, and strong or power hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius. The latter were found to bring greater fuel savings – especially with vehicles of higher performance.

Another study quantified the costs and economic benefits of several types of hybrid car for various markets worldwide. It found that the medium class power hybrids (like the Prius) are already attractive for most of Europe, and especially for Sweden and the UK.

Toyota already shares a manufacturing plant in California with GM, producing the Toyota Corolla and Chevrolet Prizm. In April 1999, they agreed a joint development with GM, on electric, hybrid, and fuel cell power trains.

Ford have announced a hybrid version of the Escape SUV, to be available from 2003. This will have a 2 liter, 4-cylinder Zetec engine, modified to use the Atkinson cycle, a generator of 28 kW, and a motor of 65 kW. Although Ford have not mentioned the THS, it is hard to imagine a hybrid system with two electrical machines that does not use the Toyota patents.

At the Esso Award Presentation in October 1999, Toyota showed some dramatic projections of the future market share of hybrid vehicles. As the third largest car company, they appear already to have convinced the first and second largest car companies of their merits, which should help to fulfil these projections.

The U.K. Government also appears to be convinced of the merits of hybrid vehicles. The 'Powershift' programme is intended to help the transport sector to meet the 'Kyoto' targets for CO2 reduction. Under this, rebates of £ 1000 were paid to purchasers of the first 200 Prius', and are available for a further 350. Moreover, the very low CO2 emissions of the Prius bring it into the lowest band of Vehicle Excise Duty - £ 90 a year - from March 2001.