Hybrid Cars Explained

It seems that all of today's conversations about high gas prices and new cars inevitably lead to the same subject: hybrid cars. Everyone and their mother is raving about them, but how many of us actually know what makes them such an environmental marvel? Is this really a way of greening your home (your car is an extension of your home, and don't tell us otherwise. We've seen the way you live in there.)

Since we can't claim any knowledge of the hows behind a hybrid, allow us to lead you by the hand over to LiveScience.com , where you'll find a great article explaining the mechanics that make these alternative vehicles buzz around town.
To put it simply, a traditional automobile runs 100% on gasoline, and hybrids run on a mixture of old fashioned crude and a battery-powered electric motor; they utilize gas for high-power situations like speeding 60 mph on the freeway (which is increasingly less common with the amount of traffic in big cities) and switch over to the battery in less demanding situations, like when the car is idling at a stop light.

The article does a very nice job of breaking down the science of various makes and models and is a very useful read if you're exploring the new car market. Tell us—planning on buying a hybrid? Or did you find a traditional car with better mileage?