From the USA to the UK, from Israel to India, the world appears to be embracing the green car concept. However, there is one country that is yet to catch green fever – Russia.

The car market in Russia is booming but hybrid cars are certainly not all the rage with few on sale. Now however, car manufacturers are taking a new approach – by appealing to those who like to drive cutting edge technology and who like to set the trends.

The range of hybrid vehicles offered by Lexus is one of the few to enjoy sales success in the country and now Toyota and Honda are considering bringing their most popular models to dealerships next year.

The emphasis is not so much on their environmental qualities, however, as it is on offering something new and different to the young, well-off crowd. As hybrid cars use a rechargeable electric battery in addition to the conventional petroleum engine, the technology should hold appeal.

The Toyota Prius, not yet available in Russia, is turning heads at auctions in the United States and Japan where Russians are paying more than $25,000 for three-year-old versions of the vehicles – that’s around $3,000 more than the cars cost when bought brand new on Toyota’s own website. As the vehicle isn’t sold in the country, it can only be repaired at independent shops that have managed to figure out the computer system.

Toyota is now considering bringing the Prius to Russia next year – and is currently researching the country’s roads, weather conditions and fuel quality.