Was Toyota the first hybrid car?

No. Toyota did not create the first hybrid car; gasoline–electric hybrids date back to the early 1900s. What Toyota did achieve—starting with the Prius in 1997—was the first mass-produced, modern hybrid that brought the technology into mainstream global use. This distinction matters: there’s a difference between inventing a concept, building experimental or limited-run vehicles, and making a reliable, affordable product at scale that changes the market.

What came before Toyota

Hybrid automobiles—combining an internal combustion engine with electric drive—appeared more than a century before the Prius. Early pioneers experimented with series and parallel layouts, sometimes without regenerative braking or modern battery management, but the core idea was present. Production volumes were tiny, reliability and batteries were limiting factors, and the market shifted toward pure gasoline cars as roads expanded and cheap fuel prevailed.

Below are notable pre-Toyota milestones that illustrate the long lineage of hybrid technology.

• 1899–1900: Lohner-Porsche “Mixte” Hybrid (Austria). Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, it used a gasoline engine to power a generator feeding wheel-hub electric motors—a series hybrid shown publicly in 1900.
• Circa 1900: Pieper gasoline–electric (Belgium). A small gasoline engine was supplemented by an electric motor for acceleration—an early form of hybrid assistance.
• 1915–1922: Owen Magnetic (U.S.). A gasoline engine drove a generator that powered an electric motor; billed as smooth and “gearless,” it presaged later series-hybrid concepts.
• 1917–1918: Woods Dual Power Model 44 (U.S.). A parallel hybrid that used electric drive at low speed and gasoline power at higher speeds; produced in very limited numbers.
• 1990s prototypes/small runs: From GM and others to the Audi Duo (1997, limited fleet use), several projects tested hybrid tech but did not reach true mass production.

Taken together, these vehicles show Toyota was not first to invent or build a hybrid. However, none of them reached the scale, durability, and consumer acceptance that would define the modern hybrid era.

Toyota’s actual firsts—and why they matter

Toyota launched the Prius in Japan in 1997, then expanded to North America and Europe in 2000. It was the first mass-produced hybrid passenger car, engineered for everyday use and built in volumes that reshaped the market. Toyota’s system—initially called the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) and later branded Hybrid Synergy Drive—paired a gasoline engine with one or more motor–generators, a power-split device, regenerative braking, and a nickel–metal hydride battery pack. The combination delivered dramatic real-world fuel economy and low emissions without requiring drivers to change fueling habits.

Critically, Toyota proved hybrids could be reliable, affordable, and scalable across body styles—from the Prius to the Camry, RAV4, and Lexus models—paving the way for tens of millions of hybrid sales worldwide and influencing regulations, competitor strategies, and consumer expectations about high-efficiency vehicles.

How Honda fits in

Honda’s two-seat Insight reached U.S. showrooms in late 1999, making it the first hybrid sold in the American market. Toyota’s Prius arrived in the U.S. soon after (2000) as the first high-volume, family-friendly hybrid, and it ultimately became the global face of hybridization.

Defining “first”: what counts?

Depending on the criterion, different vehicles can claim to be “first.” Here are the main ways people frame the question.

1. First working hybrid concept: Turn-of-the-20th-century machines like the Lohner-Porsche (1900) and Pieper (circa 1900).
2. First hybrid sold in mass production: Toyota Prius (Japan 1997; expanded globally from 2000).
3. First hybrid sold in the U.S.: Honda Insight (December 1999).
4. First hybrid SUV in series production: Ford Escape Hybrid (introduced 2004 for the 2005 model year), followed by models such as the Lexus RX 400h and Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

In other words, “first” depends on whether you mean invention, first sale, mass production, or a category milestone like SUV or luxury.

Bottom line

Toyota didn’t invent the hybrid car, but it did industrialize and popularize it. Early hybrids established the concept; the Prius and its successors made hybrids practical, reliable, and ubiquitous, setting the template modern hybrids still follow.

Summary

Toyota was not the first to build a hybrid vehicle—examples date to 1900—but the 1997 Prius was the first mass-produced modern hybrid, and it mainstreamed the technology. Honda’s Insight was the first hybrid sold in the U.S. (1999), while Toyota’s Prius became the first high-volume, family-friendly hybrid sold globally. The answer hinges on what “first” means: invention versus mass adoption.

Did Toyota create the first hybrid?

Citation. In 1997, Toyota Motor Corporation developed the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius, which used both an internal combustion engine and two electric motors. This vehicle achieved revolutionary fuel efficiency by recovering and reusing energy previously lost while driving.

Which was the first hybrid car?

The Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus, created by Ferdinand Porsche in 1900, is considered the first hybrid car. This pioneering vehicle combined a gasoline engine to generate electricity for its wheels, marking the beginning of a century-long journey for hybrid technology, leading to mass-produced models like the Toyota Prius later in the 1990s.
 
Ferdinand Porsche’s Innovation

• The Concept: In 1900, Ferdinand Porsche, working for the Lohner company, developed the Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus, which means “forever alive”. 
• How it Worked: The Semper Vivus utilized a gasoline engine to power a generator, which in turn charged batteries and electric motors to drive the vehicle. This concept of an onboard generator charging batteries was the foundation of modern hybrid vehicles. 

Significance of the Semper Vivus

• Pioneering Technology: The Semper Vivus predated the modern era of hybrid vehicles by more than a century. 
• Solving a Problem: By using the gasoline engine to generate electricity, the vehicle could operate for longer distances, overcoming the range limitations of early fully electric cars. 

Legacy 

• A Foundation for the Future: Though heavy and complex, the Semper Vivus established the principle of hybrid power, which was later revisited and refined in the 1990s with the mass production of vehicles like the Toyota Prius.

Who is the oldest hybrid?

The first hybrid car was built in the year 1899 by engineer Ferdinand Porsche. Called the System Lohner-Porsche Mixte, it used a gasoline engine to supply power to an electric motor that drove the car’s front wheels. The Mixte was well-received, and over 300 were produced.

Who made the first hybrid, Toyota or Honda?

Toyota Motor Corporation
Citation. In 1997, Toyota Motor Corporation developed the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius, which used both an internal combustion engine and two electric motors. This vehicle achieved revolutionary fuel efficiency by recovering and reusing energy previously lost while driving.