Combined, seven gas-electric vehicles accounted for 85,699 sales in 2004, up 97.3 percent from the 43,435 sold in 2003. The numbers were reported by automakers.

Most of the growth, and most of the sales of high-mileage hybrids, came from Toyota's Prius sedan. At 53,991 units, it accounted for a whopping 63 percent of the hybrid market.

But new hybrid models -- the Ford Escape sport-utility, the Honda Accord sedan and the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups all went on sale for the first time during 2004 -- accounted for growth, too.

The Accord, which combines electric motors and battery power with a V-6 gas engine, accounted for 1,061 sales in December. Ford dealers have sold about 1,000 Escape hybrids a month since October 2004.

An eighth hybrid, the Dodge Ram Contractor's Special pickup, which will be available only to fleet customers, went into production in November but none reached customers before year's end, the company said.

Anthony Pratt, Power's senior manager for global powertrain issues, said hybrids coming into new market segments will mean growth through the end of the decade.

"The fact that all vehicle manufacturers have a hybrid strategy is significant," Pratt said.

Power, the Westlake Village researcher, projects that U.S. hybrid sales will reach 222,000 this year and 500,000 by 2009. If that prediction comes true, hybrids would account for nearly 3 percent of the U.S. car and truck market in 2009. In 2004, hybrid sales represented about one half of one percent of the 16.9 million vehicles sold.

Another Power affiliate, the Power Information Network that tracks dealer transactions, said Californians bought nearly 42 percent of all hybrids sold from Jan. 1 to Dec. 17, 2004.

This year, the Lexus RX 400h hybrid goes on sale in April and the Toyota Highlander hybrid becomes available in June. Both are sport-utility vehicles. By 2008, Power said, more than 30 hybrid models will be available.

Shun Obinata, a Bay Area technical translator, bought a slightly used 2004 Prius late last year.

"I find it to be a classy car with great gas mileage (so far about 52 mpg)," he said. "It's the best of two worlds."

Pratt, the J.D. Power analyst, said hybrid buyers are still so-called early adopters. They're older than the average car buyer, have more education and greater incomes. He noted that 40 percent of all Prius buyers have an advanced college degree.

Five to seven years from now, as gasoline vehicles become more efficient, as diesel fuel gains in acceptance, as hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles get closer to consumer readiness, hybrid sales might reach a plateau, he said.

To see more of the San Jose Mercury News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go
 to http://www.mercurynews.com.