Author John German reviews the development history of hybrid vehicles and the current state of hybrid technology, including battery types and chemistries. He also highlights the cycles of fuel availability, fuel economy, and concern for environmental issues, and profiles government efforts to spur development of more efficient vehicles. Future enhancements, including more sophisticated hybrid control strategies and integrating additional electrical components to improve efficiency, are also featured. Cost reduction, being a major barrier to mass market adoption, is also discussed. Finally, future sales and market forecasts are offered, including the belief that hybrid sales will rapidly increase after approximately 2020 and will capture about 75% of the market by about 2030.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 113-116).