Actually, as gas prices rise, the ROI on the so-called “hybrid premium”, or extra cost for buying a hybrid, is down to about two years for the average driver. Cars like the Prius also have excellent resale value and low maintenance costs, so the Prius is a great way to save money in the long term!
The basic way hybrids work is having a second electric motor in addition to the gas engine to start the car moving and sometimes supplement the gas engine depending on the type of hybrid.
The electric motor gets its power from batteries which are recharged every time you brake/slow down. In a nutshell, braking engages a generator that collects energy from your deceleration instead of just losing it to brake pad friction like most cars.
There are other, more in depth tricks that hybrids like the Prius use, like turning the gas engine off when you stop, increasing aerodynamic efficiency through unique shapes and cutting down on the car’s weight by doing things like using a fuel bladder instead of a fuel tank, but the basics have to do with the electric motor and regenerative braking.