Hybrids were supposed to be a way station on the road to electric cars.
Honda Motor and Toyota Motor started pushing them in the late 1990s, using their part electric, part internal combustion powertrains to meet emissions mandates and lower carbon dioxide ratings across their global fleets.
They wagered that hybrids were an easier sell to consumers than the full-on electric vehicles a few early adopters and tech geeks were driving. Soon everyone would transition and leave gasoline behind for good, the thinking went.