The day of eco-friendly hybrid cars running on a combination electric and gasonline motor appears to be dawning. Although sometimes viewed as stopgaps on the road toward all-electric vehicles, hybrids are beginning to impress on their own merits. The range of available models is widening, and prices are coming down. After debuting as a niche product for the environmentally conscious with fat wallets,hybrids could develop into the vehicle of choice for the driving public.