I quite understand why some people are dubious about the roll-out of hybrid electric cars catching on. They have memories of the fuel cell super hype that patently never materialised. After all, if one had paid attention to the experts in the late 1990s, by rights, our streets should be full of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by now. But anyone in any doubt about the speed of technological adaptation to hybrid cars ought to read this article in the Washington Post.

Sanyo Electric and Volkswagen, the 2 behemoths of their respective lithium battery and auto industries, are joining forces to begin the mass production from 2009 of vehicle hybrid batteries. And here's how fast the market is anticipated to grow;

"By 2015, Sanyo aims to boost production capacity to 10 million cells a month, enough for 1.7 to 1.8 million cars. That would give it a share of about 40 percent of a global hybrid market that Sanyo estimates at 4 to 4.5 million vehicles by mid-decade. It includes rechargeable plug-in hybrid vehicles, which Sanyo hopes to supply from 2011."

Considering  that it took 10 years for the Toyota Prius to produce and sell one million units, 4 to 4.5 million hybrids a year is a big deal indeed. So keep your eyes on the energy storage stocks, who are potentially big players in this nascent market.