Hybrids, all-electric, or hydrogen-fuelled cars are the immediate future of motoring – and new models are popping up thick and fast, writes Sharon Walters.

Toyota has just stated that it will be putting no less than eight all-new hybrid-engined cars onto the North American market over the next few years – that’s a sizeable figure, and other major motor manufacturers are expected to quickly follow suit.

The Japanese car giant has already said it intends to sell mainstream all-electric vehicles by 2012, and it will have hydrogen-powered motors on the market by 2015.

And Toyota underscored its eco-intentions with the unveiling of a hybrid-powered supermini concept at this month’s Detroit Motor Show in America.

Titled the FT-CH – CH stands for compact hybrid – the supermini is 22 inches shorter, and an inch slimmer, than the firm’s current best-selling hybrid, the Prius, and it was styled by Toyota designers at its development centre in Nice, France.

Toyota says a production model of the FT-CH will be far more affordable than the Prius, currently deemed an expensive buy, and hopes it will help achieve a global sales target of a million hybrids over the next three or so years.

Peugeot has also come out punching in the hybrid stakes with a stunning sports concept, the SR1. It’s more than a dream car transferred from paper to possible production reality – it signifies future styling direction, and comes with a new-look Lion badge.

The SR1 concept employs the same hybrid technology that will be available in the Peugeot 3008 next year – a 218bhp, 1.6 litre petrol engine mated to a rear-mounted 95bhp electric motor.

Peugeot claims a combined cycle fuel consumption of 57.7mpg for the SR1, and 119g/km CO2 output.

Audi sidestepped the hybrid brouhaha at Detroit and instead went down electric avenue with the unveiling of a compact sports car, the e-tron.

The all-electric two-seater e-tron is lithe and lightweight, with a 0 to 62mph sprint time of just 5.9 seconds.

The German firm says it has the agility of a go-kart, thanks to its relatively low weight and near-perfect weight distribution, and will be able to do up to 155 miles between charge-ups.

Zero fuel consumption, zero CO2 emissions, and zero engine noise led Citroen to name is new electric car the C-Zero, which gets a public unveiling at the Brussels, Belgium, Motor Show late in January.

Based on the Mitsubishi i, the 80mph C-Zero can be 80% charged in just 30 minutes, and is earmarked to go on sale in Britain late this autumn.

Its city-car length of just 3.48 metres will appeal strongly to drivers who rarely venture beyond town limits, and it can carry four adults along with a modest 166 litres of cargo.

Finally, Honda’s new hybrid, the sporty CR-Z, is destined to go on UK sale this summer, and the coupe uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine with its proven electric motor set-up, and can do 56.4mpg overall.

Honda says it is the world’s first six-speed manual hybrid car, with nippy driving characteristics making the CR-Z well-suited for use on city streets.

Exhaust emissions are down to just 117g/km, and only European models will get the flexible two-plus-two seating layout.

Prices and fuller details of the CR-Z will be revealed in late spring.