Well - pure battery electric cars are obviously electric cars, but even petrol and diesel cars need an electric motor to start them.

When the driver turns ignition key, a powerful electric motor is used to spin the engine up to speed, so that the ignition cycle can start. The electric motor can produce an enormous force from standstill, which is why a Tesla car can beat any souped-up petrol car from a standing start.

Once the car is running, the motor recharges the battery to replenish the energy used by the electric motor. In this sense, any petrol or diesel car is a hybrid electric car.