What is a hybrid car and should you buy one? What are hybrid cars, how do they work and would one suit you? Find out everything you need to know in our useful guide... A hybrid car is one that uses more than one means of propulsion - that means combining a petrol or diesel engine with an electric motor. The main advantages of a hybrid are that it should consume less fuel and emit less CO2 than a comparable conventional petrol or diesel-engined vehicle. Hybrid car owners also get extra benefits in the shape of lower first year road tax and company car tax, as well as possibly avoiding congestion charges. How do hybrid cars work? Hybrid cars have a conventional engine, an electric motor and a battery. There are three different types of hybrids and each works in a different way. 1. Parallel hybrid cars These are the most common type of hybrid, and the Toyota Prius is the most widely known example. The car’s wheels can be powered in three different ways: either dire...