1996: The Prius's market introduction was accelerated two years so Japanese customers would be on the road before the Kyoto Conference on Global Warming held in December 1997.
1997: Two hybrid vehicles were introduced for sale. In Europe, Audi's A4 Avant Duo used a 90-hp turbo diesel and a 29-hp electric motor to drive the front wheels. In Japan, the Toyota Prius teamed a 57-hp gasoline engine with a 40-hp electric motor.
1999: At the North American International Auto Show, Honda presented a two-seat concept called VV with a three-cylinder gasoline engine and Integrated (electric) Motor Assist powering the front wheels. It went on sale later in the year as the Honda Insight with EPA ratings of 61 mpg in city driving and 70 mpg on the highway.
During a five-year GM-Toyota technical liaison, the hybrid portion of their cooperative effort was called Synergy.
2000: A second generation Toyota Prius arrived for sale in the US with more power, better acceleration, and lower emissions. than the previous Japanese model. For marketing purposes, the name Toyota Hybrid Drive evolved to Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive.
2003: After the new third-generation Prius earned several "Of the Year" awards, Toyota Motor Sales president Jim Press called it, "The hottest car we've ever had." GM began manufacturing its Two-Mode diesel-electric propulsion system for global transit bus use. There were few takers for the simple electric-assist hybrid system GM offered in Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks.
2005: BMW, DaimlerChrysler, and GM form a Global Hybrid Cooperation to develop Two-Mode for various car and light-truck applications.
2006: Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Honda, Lexus, Mercury, and Toyota currently offer a dozen hybrid car and truck models. Industry forecasters predict that annual global hybrid sales will exceed one-million units by 2010.
2007: At the North American International Auto Show, Chevrolet's Volt series-hybrid sedan forecast the introduction of lithium-ion batteries capable of providing 40 miles of electric-driving range. GM began manufacturing Two-Mode transmissions at a Baltimore facility and announced future applications ranging from front-drive Saturn sedans to Cadillac Escalade SUVs.
2008: Deliveries of the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon Two-Mode hybrids will be followed by Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen models by the end of the year.