Joe Duarte

High-capacity batteries are the primary weapons in the fight against range anxiety, and no American EV features a larger one than this iconic model.

In today’s electric car market, there is only one way to increase driving range – bigger batteries. There are other factors to consider, like motor size and efficacy, but it basically comes down to the bigger is better, as in the old hand-to-hand fight adage about a good big man always beating a good little man.

For 40 years, the Toyota Camry has been coveted for its reliability, and for the past 20 for its hybrid efficiency, as these 10 examples illustrate.

High torque is a necessity for workhorse trucks and performance cars, and these American-branded hybrids are the cream of the crop in torque output.

Japanese automakers have historically excelled at blending fuel efficiency with impressive horsepower, and there is perhaps no better example than the evolution of hybrid powertrains. Initially, hybrid cars were meant to lower fuel usage and reduce smog emissions, but there has been a recent push toward more robust power outputs.

There are two factors at play right now in the auto marketplace – electrification and simplicity. On the one hand, the need for sustainable energy is leading many companies to develop and market electric vehicles; on the other, consumers want vehicles they can depend on to get them to their destinations without special requirements.

Germany has a sterling reputation for high-performance automotive engineering, with many German vehicles aspired to for their precision, power, and reliability. Renowned brands like Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche have consistently set the benchmark for combining luxury and sporty manners, while Volkswagen delivers what everyday drivers need.

The incoming Trump administration is expected to make sweeping changes to federal electric vehicle (EV) policy, with plans to eliminate the $7,500 tax credit currently available for new EV purchases. The proposed shift threatens to derail electric vehicle adoption in the United States.

Toyota has been a leader in hybrid technology, since it first unveiled the Prius back in 1997, and has evolved its technology over the past quarter century to set benchmarks for fuel efficiency, reliability, and innovation. The company has also consistently improved its SUV lineup, from the 1950s origin of the Land Cruiser, though the evolution of the compact 4Runner that began life in the 1980s as a pickup with the bed covered over, and the creation of the compact SUV segment in the mid-1990s.

The American hybrid is a rare bird. Not too long ago, American brands embraced the hybrid powertrain for vehicles in large market segments, such as mid-sized sedans and large pickups and SUVs, but as segments were pared down, so the number of American hybrids were whittled down to little more than a sliver of the market.