Six hundred miles on a tank of gas!

As gas prices climb, new fuel economy is closer than you think. Some hybrids are already here and the fuel economy they offer is astounding. The radically designed power plants in these new cars provide electric motor power in town and gasoline power on the open road.

Hybrid batteries are charged as you decelerate and they power up as you accelerate out of a stoplight or cruise at high speed. This actually makes them better with fuel efficiency in the city than out on the road. This type of fuel economy is no longer a thing of the future. It's available now in a limited number of hybrid electric/gasoline models from Honda and Toyota and said to become an option on many more vehicles, including those from American auto makers starting next year. In fact, one of the current models, the 2004 Toyota Prius (above) was named Motor Trend's Car of the Year. Buyers will have a hard time finding one though. Most dealers have already sold out their entire stock and have long waiting lists.

Other hybrid manufacturers for the current model year include:

• Ford Escape
• Honda Insight
• Honda Civic

The first hybrid trucks are:

• Chevrolet Silverado
• GMC Sierra