There's this mad scramble as manufacturers race to outdo each other in the hybrid car stakes.
Everyone's doing it, and while the world salutes each newcomer and the rapid strides being made in this extraordinary field, some tend to forget that actually, despite the marvels of today's hybrids - I mean, there's even a hybrid Hummer, for heaven's sake! - the origins of these clever machines date back to 1902.
Yep, back then, young Ferdinand Porsche, a smart young 27-year-old, designed the world's first hybrid vehicle. It was called the Lohner-Porsche Mixte but fondly, and rather oddly, was known to its designers as Aunt Eulalia.
Fast forward to today and, as I climb out of the blisteringly swift Lexus GS450H, I can't help wondering just how much old Ferdi would have enjoyed the ride.
This hybrid motor, for instance, is coupled to a smooth-as-butter, 220kW, 3.5-litre petrol V6, capable of pretty much what you'd get from a 4.5-litre V8 petrol motor, hence the model designation 450.
When I say it's smooth, I mean it. I've never known such a beautifully quiet, smooth drive - you could do your make-up without a single smudge while driving at illegal speeds or sip from a cup of scalding hot coffee and not spill a drop, I swear.
Hybrids (well, the only other one I've driven is the Toyota Prius) aren't traditionally known as performance cars, from what I gather, so doing the 0-100km/h burst on the way to work was an adrenalin charge of note.
We fell in love with the car, fickle wenches that my daughter and I are. The unadulterated luxury, the comfort, the space, the leg room, the driver-friendly gauges and buttons, the sunroof, the vast quantity of crash bags and oh, that total silence when the battery was already charged and you pushed the start button and no one could hear the engine as you glided away!
Gorgeous lines, too, whether you looked at the Lexus from the front, rear or side. Justifiably, Lexus is incredibly proud of this car.
Traditionally, for the environment's sake, hybrid engineers have always focused exclusively on economy, at the expense of performance. But Lexus has created the ultimate solution: an electric motor that reduces CO2 emissions and enhances the performance of its complimentary petrol engine.
ENTIRELY SELF-SUSTAINING
The petrol engine in hybrid drive vehicles works with the electric motor to give a smoother and quieter ride, better performance, decreased emissions and improved fuel economy. All in one beautiful package.
Even better, the system is entirely self-sustaining. Lexus hybrids never need to be plugged in as regenerative braking charges the electric motor while the power control unit distributes the energy for maximum efficiency of both the electric motor and the petrol engine.
Any excess is then stored in the advanced compact battery which has been designed to last as long as the car itself.
It's all terribly clever and, I must confess, a trifle mind-boggling to a girl like me who battles to comprehend the intricacies of operating a DVD player. But even if you don't actually understand how it works, know this: the Lexus 450H is one helluva hybrid.
Yours for R727 800 (ouch!).