Hybrid conductors and method of making same

A hybrid conductor comprising: a plurality of nanotubes, each having a surface; a wire (502) having a geometric profile defined by the plurality of nanotubes and a layer of conductive material (504) placed circumferentially around the wire so that the wire (502) is substantially encapsulated by the conductive material, where the material (504) conductor is in contact with less than the total surface of the plurality of nanotubes, wherein the combination of the conductive material (504) and the plurality of nanotubes improves conductivity while decreasing the resistivity along the wire (502), wherein the conductive material (504) comprises one of copper, aluminum, titanium, platinum, nickel, gold, silver, silver-plated copper, cadmium, nickel, tin, bismuth, arsenic, alloys of these metals, boron, boron nitride, glassy carbon, ceramic, silicon compounds, gallium arsenic or a combination thereof.