A new study suggests that there may be as many as 50 hybrid models in North America by 2010. The Automotive Technology Research Group in Thousand Oaks, CA analyzed conventional vehicle platforms that could be easily modified to use a hybrid drive train. An example of this is  the current Ford Escape Hybrid, to be followed by nearly identical models from Mercury (the Mariner) and Mazda (the Tribute).

Thad Malesh of the Automotive Technology Research Group thinks Toyota will remain the leader in hybrids. "Toyota wants to make it so doggone painful for anybody else to do the research and development that they will fight off competitors," he says. "They want to be the dominant provider of the technology to consumers."