What if the car of the future arrives and we hardly notice? On this edition of IEEE Spectrum Radio, shift into the hybrid mindset as Spectrum looks at how companies are making hybrid cars practical for every day use. The answer is not just changes in cost and fuel source, it's a whole new attitude towards driving.

Spectrum's John Voelcker has driven in many concept hybrids, each of which costs many millions of dollars. Companies are therefore compelled to cut costs, improve reliability and bring down prices before consumers will take notice. The goal is to make consumers no longer care whether they're driving a hybrid or not - the experience needs to be as seamless as that of a gasoline or diesel powered vehicle.

One of the biggest questions is how to fuel the car of the future. Current hybrid models either take significant amounts of time to recharge, or require fuels which are not easily accessible. Discover the Tesla Roadster, launched as the world's most environmentally friendly sports car, and find out about the Society of Automotive Engineer's effort to create high performance hybrid vehicles.

This program was originally broadcast on IEEE Spectrum Radio.