A vehicle that achieves improved fuel efficiency by using an electric motor to help the engine propel the car. The motor receives power from a modestly sized battery that is automatically recharged during vehicle operation using a generator driven by the car’s engine. The battery is also recharged by “regenerative braking” that turns the electric motor into a generator during coasting and braking. HEVs have no provision to connect an external charger, and the energy contained in the battery can propel the vehicle under electrical power alone for only a very short distance, if at all. The Toyota Prius is an example of an HEV.