Hybrid
Hybrid
Hybrid
INTRODUCTION
The world started down a new road in 1997 when the first modern hybrid
electric car, the Toyota Prius, was sold in Japan. Two years later, the United
States saw its first sale of a hybrid, the Honda Insight. These two vehicles,
followed by the Honda Civic Hybrid, marked a radical change in the type of
car being offered to the public: vehicles that bring some of the benefits of
battery electric vehicles into the conventional gasoline powered cars and trucks
we have been using for more than 100 years. In the coming years, hybrids can
play a significant role in addressing several of the major problems faced by the
United States and the world today: climate change, air pollution, and oil
dependence. Whether this new technology delivers on its promise hinges on the
choices automakers, consumers, and policymakers make over the coming years.
Poor choices could result in hybrids that fall short even of what conventional
technology could deliver on fuel economy, emissions, or both. If they are
designed well, these hybrids can equal or better the utility, comfort,
performance, and safety we’ve come to expect, while saving us thousands of
dollars at the gas pump.
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A vehicle that receives five checkmarks is a “plug-in” hybrid, none of which
are yet available in the United States. If a vehicle has only one checkmark it is
actually just a conventional vehicle. Two checkmarks qualifies a vehicle as a
muscle-hybrid, a vehicle that uses hybrid technology to increase power and
performance instead of significantly increasing fuel. economy— leading to an
expensive vehicle with very low cost-effectiveness. As more vehicles enter the
market, this checklist can be used to evaluate the hybrids automakers offer.
1.2 HOW HYBRIDS WORK
Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) combine the benefits of gasoline engines
and electric motors and can be configured to obtain different objectives, such
as improved fuel economy, increased power, or additional auxiliary power for
electronic devices and power tools Some of the advanced technologies typically
used by hybrids include
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smaller, more efficient engine to be used. In some vehicles, the motor alone
provides power for low-speed driving conditions where internal combustion engines
are least efficient.
Automatic Start/Shutoff. Automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle
comes to a stop and restarts it when the accelerator is pressed. This prevents
wasted energy from idling.
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Chapter 2
THE TECHNOLOGY’S POTENTIAL
The Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius are good examples of the
current potential of hybrids but they’re just start. More technology is ready to be
put to work and not only for compact cars. This study provides a broader picture of
how hybrid technology could transform the whole passenger fleet both within this
decade and into the next. A fleet of cars and trucks that takes full advantage of
hybrid and other advanced technologies could reach an average fuel economy of
60 mpg, as Figure ES-1 shows. Even conventional technologies could boost the
passenger vehicle fleet average up to 40 mpg. And all the hybrids examined in
this study can meet today’s most stringent standards for tailpipe emissions2
(excluding the zero-emissions standard). The study’s key findings are outlined
below.
A fleet of passenger cars and trucks using conventional technology has the
potential to reach a fleet average of 40 mpg. The average vehicle in this
fleet will cost about $1,700 more in the showroom, but will save
consumers $3,800 at the gas pump over the vehicle’s 15-year life for a net
savings of $2,100.
A fleet of mild hybrids can reach nearly 50 mpg, with a retail price
increase of about $2,900 by using advanced technologies available to
automakers within this decade.3 Lifetime gasoline savings will amount to
$4,700, producing a net savings of $1,500 for the average driver when the
cost of battery replacement mis included.4 Mild hybrids that use more
moderate technology or smaller motor/battery systems will achieve lower
fuel economy and will be less cost effective.
Full hybrids using advanced technology are the key to a passenger car and
truck fleet that approaches an average of 60 mpg. The average price increase for
such vehicles is about $4,000 and the owners will save nearly $5,500 on gasoline
over the life of the vehicle. Including battery replacement, consumers would see
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an average net savings of $900. Plug-in hybrids would realize even greater energy
security and environmental gains, but with higher costs and lower net consumer
savings
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CHAPTER 3
HYBRID VEHICLES: FILLING THE GAP
This study emphasizes the role hybrids must play in our efforts to limit the
contribution our cars and trucks make to US oil dependence, global warming,
and local air pollution. In the short term, conventional technologies could
quickly raise the average fuel economy of the passenger fleet to 40 mpg. Over
the long term, we will have no choice but to adopt hydrogen fuel cells and other
alternativefuel approaches. But these technologies will not be ready to replace
the internal combustion engine in most new cars and trucks for over a decade.
Considering the slow turnover of the passenger vehicle fleet, this leaves a
significant gap of ten to twenty years after the gains from conventional technology
peak and before the promise of fuel cells will be fully realized. During that
period, rising travel and increased car ownership will continue to drive us to
import more and more oil from politically unstable countries and to add to
global average temperature increases of 2.5 to 10.4oF by the end of the century.
And the gains we will have made in air quality will begin to turn around due to
rising travel and car ownership. By filling this technological gap with well
designed hybrid vehicles, passenger vehicle oil consumption and global warming
emissions from cars and trucks can be reduced to below 1990 levels even
before fuel cell technology makes its full impact. As hybrids move into the
marketplace, offering consumers additional choices, they also assure us that
fleet average fuel economies of 50 to 60 mpg can be achieved by the end of the
next decade. At the same time, growing hybrid sales will bring down the cost of
future hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, since they share many technologies, such as
electric motors, power electronics, and energy storage.
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1. Hybrids with the best possible conventional and electric technology need
to be made available to the public.
2. Production and sales of these hybrids need to reach mass-market levels
in the hundreds of thousands per year. These keys are in the hands of
automakers, governments, and consumers.
Automakers hold the first key. With most of the necessary hybrid and
conventional technology in their hands, they will be responsible for building the
best possible hybrid vehicles and sending them to the showrooms. Automakers
that try to graft hybrid technology onto today’s conventional vehicles will end up
producing expensive, lowperformance vehicles better left in the research lab.
The resulting lemons could tarnish the image of hybrid technology and
discourage consumers. Automakers that take the practical approach of putting the
best available technology to work will provide consumers with “no compromise”
vehicles. And they’ll garner a profit as the vehicles reach massmarket
production levels. By leading the industry, these automakers will create a
sound footing for future profitability and a solid image of environmental and
corporate responsibility. Automakers also hold some responsibility for helping
hybrids to reach mass-market levels. They will need to support hybrid sales by
aggressively educating dealers, service personnel, and consumers about their
products. But unless education and advertising campaigns are backed up with
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the good products, they will simply be false attempts at capturing a green
image. But automakers can’t do it alone.
Government at all levels must act to help hybrids sell well during this decade
if automakers are to reach the economies of scale necessary for hybrids to
become profitable. A variety of tools can provide this support, such as
regulations, including fleet purchase requirements. financial or nonfinancial
incentives, and education programs. All these measures must be carefully crafted
to assure that they provide support to hybrids in proportion to the energy security
and environmental gains they offer. And they must acknowledge the extent to
which hybrids help pave the way for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Consumers also have a part to play in ensuring that hybrid sales reach mass-
market levels. Assuming government and industry do their parts, this should not
be a challenging task. Recent market studies indicate that at least 25% to 30%
of con-sumers are already interested in purchasing a hybrid instead of a
conventional vehicle. When they do, they will find themselves saving money over
the life of their hybrid even as they do their part to reduce oil dependence and
their impact on the environment.
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CHAPTER 4
What exactly is a hybrid vehicle? How good will hybrids’ fuel economy and
environmental performance be? How fast will they go? What will they cost?
Will people buy them? And where do you plug them in? The answer to the last
question is simple: you don’t have to! (For some this will be a disappointment,
for others, a relief.)1 The answers to the other questions are more complicated.
This report provides some of those answers.
4.1 .WHY HYBRIDS
The primary importance of hybrid technology for cars and trucks is its
potential to increase fuel economy dramatically while meeting today’s most
stringent tailpipe emission standards (excluding the zero emission vehicle
standard). At the same time, the performance of hybrid vehicles can equal or
even surpass that of most conventional vehicles. Moreover, hybrids can play a
critical role in helping bring the technology of motors, power electronics, and
batteries to maturity and in reducing their cost. Such changes are vital to the
success of future hydrogen fuel cell and other zero emission vehicles. Thus hybrids
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could be a key element in US strategies to address our growing energy
insecurity and environmental problems. Whether hybrids live up to their potential
hinges on automakers and governments embracing them as one means of
moving toward a secure energy future and a healthier environment.
Oil Dependence and the Environment. The size of our oil dependence and its
rate of growth, as well as the environmental problems that are its consequence,
require an immediate response. This calls for both changes in conventional
technology and a longer-term investment in hybrid vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells,
and alternative fuels. As the earth continues to warm, we face a great risk that
the climate will change in ways that threaten our health, our economy, our farms
and forests, beaches and wetlands, and other natural habitats. Cars and trucks are
also major contributors to air pollution. Regulations have helped clean up
passenger vehicles over the past three decades. However, rising demand for travel
and increased vehicle ownership will outpace even the standards on the books
through this decade. Cars and trucks will need to clean up their act even more if we
are to eliminate the threat air pollution poses to public health—especially to our
children and the elderly. Finally, producing and distributing the gasoline that went
to fuel our cars and trucks in the year 2000 resulted in the emission of 848,000 tons
of smog-forming pollutants and 392,000 tons of benzene-equivalent toxic
chemicals, in addition to the pollutants emitted from the tailpipes of vehicles.4
Altogether, cars and trucks are the largest single source of air pollution in most
urban areas.
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As with US oil use and global warming emissions, upstream air pollution is
expected to continue to rise significantly over the next two decades, posing the
greatest health threat to children, the elderly, and other vulnerable members of
our population (Table ). The situation is urgent, but not hopeless. A range of
technological approaches can help us break free of our oil habit and protect our
health and livelihood against the environmental problems associated with vehicle
use. Hybrid technology is one of the most promising.
Investing in Our Future. No single silver bullet can solve the problems posed by
our use of cars and trucks. But if we choose now to invest in a variety of
solutions, ranging from near to long term, together they could eliminate the use
of oil for transportation. Hybrid technology can fill the midterm gap between
immediate improvements to conventional vehicle fuel economy and the long-
term hope offered by hydrogen fuel cells and alternative fuels.
The quickest and most effective way to limit oil dependence during the
next 10 to 15 years is to improve the fuel economy of gasoline-fueled cars and
trucks. Analysis of existing and emerging technologies based on reports by the
National Academy of Sciences, researchers at MIT, and others indicates that
conventional fuel economy technology can enable conventional cars and trucks
to reach an average of 40 miles per gallon before the middle of the next decade
(DeCicco, An, and Ross 2001, Friedman et al. 2001, NRC 2002, Weiss et al.
2000). Moreover, this can be done cost effectively. With more efficient engines,
improved transmissions, and better aerodynamics and tires, automakers could reach
a fleet average of 40 mpg over the next ten years. At that rate of implementation,
passenger vehicle oil use would stop growing by 2007, stabilizing at today’s
level through 2020 (Figure 1). This would save consumers billions of dollars
every year, effectively paying us to reduce our oil habit and our impact on the
environment (Friedman et al. 2001). Conventional fuel economy technologies
are thus a good short-term investment in energy security and the environment.
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But if we stopped there, after 2020 increases in the number of miles traveled and
the number of vehicles on the road would begin to overwhelm the fuel economy
improvements and oil use would again rise. Thus a long-term investment strategy
is necessary.
Hydrogen fuel cells and alternative fuels are the most promising
technologies in the long run, since they could virtually eliminate oil use in
cars and trucks. But they are not yet available and are unlikely to reach
significant market penetration for 10 to 15 years. Moreover, while these
technologies will shift us off oil, they will not make as rapid progress toward
eliminating cars’ and trucks’ global warming emissions. For example, during
the first decades after fuel cells are introduced, the hydrogen they use is likely
to be produced from natural gas. This will result in lower, but still substantial
emissions of global warming gases. Today’s vehicles stay on the roads an
average of 15 years, so waiting 10 to 15 years for hydrogen fuel cell or other
alternative fuel technologies would mean locking ourselves into a path of
increased oil dependence and environmental problems for the next 20 to 30
years, as Figure 2 shows. Since hydrogen fuel cells are not yet right around the
corner, the best solution in the very near term is to bring more advanced
conventional technologies to the marketplace. At the same time, we will need to
prepare for the long term by investing in developing and demonstrating
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hydrogen fuel cells and alternative fuels. But that’s not enough. This scenario
leaves a gap of ten or more years without significant progress in reducing our
oil dependence. While that’s not a good prospect, the consequence for climate
change. is worse, since the severity of global warming is a function of
cumulative global warming gases. Every ton of global warming gas that could
have been avoided is another ton that will remain in the atmosphere for the next
100 years.
Since hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are likely to deliver only modest global
warming emission savings by 2030, another technology is needed as the
gains from conventional technology level off in the next decade.
4.4 HYBRID VEHICLES.
With their recent entrance into the market, hybrids are poised to serve a
key role in pushing down oil demand and global warming emissions from cars
and trucks through the next two decades. They offer a solid midterm strategy of
investment in energy security and the environment, filling the temporal gap
between conventional technology and hydrogen fuel cells (Figure 3). Hybrids
can also serve as an insurance policy for regulators contemplating significant
increases to fuel economy standards over the next decade. While a 40-mpg
fleet could be reached with existing conventional technology, hybrid vehicles
provide additional assurance of reaching that goal, since they promise fuel
economy levels as high as 50 to 60 mpg. Further, they open the door to fuel
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economy standards of 50 mpg or higher by the end of the next decade. In
addition, hybrid vehicles can mitigate the risk of delays in hydrogen fuel cell
development and market success. They’ll also help ensure the success of
fuel cell vehicles by bringing down the costs of the technologies—motors,
batteries, and power electronics—that the two share. And they’ll help pave
the way by acquainting consumers with electric drive technology. Given the
necessity of continuing to reduce oil use and global warming emissions over the
coming decades, hybrids are a key interim step, taking over where improved
conventional technologies leave off and before fuel cells can fulfill their
promise. The “Gee-Whiz” Factor. In addition to the logic of hybrids as a
key part of investing in energy security and the environment, other factors,
such as consumer and automaker choice, could prove crucial to their
success.
Consumer Choice. Despite automakers’ claims to the contrary, consumers
are showing interest in having an option to buy cars and trucks with better
fuel economy. A consumer preference study found that 30% of
the more than 5,000 recent new-vehicle buyers they surveyed would
definitely consider a hybrid for their next purchase. An additional 30%
showed strong consideration. The primary reason people noted for
considering a hybrid was their concern about high fuel prices .A second
study, performed as part of
larger study on hybrids by the Electric Power Research Institute, found that
25% of the 400 potential car and truck buyers surveyed would purchase a
hybrid vehicle instead of a conventional vehicle when given information on
the potential costs, savings, and performance of the hybrid . Clearly,
consumers want automakers to provide them with hybrid vehicles as
additional. choices when they step into the showroom.
Automaker Choice. Only Toyota and Honda have so far offered hybrids for
sale in the US market. Both are likely to offer more models very soon, as
are most other automakers. Ford intends to enter the market with a hybrid
SUV using a design similar to the Prius. GM and Daimler- Chrysler are
expected to offer hybrids in 2004 or 2005. These new vehicles will help build
the hybrid market, bringing in consumers interested in pickups or SUVs as
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well as those who want compact and family cars. But if some of the
automakers choose to offer vehicles with hybrid nameplates just to capitalize
on the “gee whiz” factor or the “green” image of hybrids, much of the potential
benefits from hybrid technology will be lost. Automakers have a responsibility
to society and
consumers to market hybrids that provide the dramatic improvements in fuel
economy the technology promises, along with substantially cleaner tailpipe
emissions. And consumers must hold them to it, by putting their dollars
where they will do the most good. Chapter 2 provides a checklist for
determining whether a vehicle is a hybrid and what kind of hybrid it is.
Chapter 3 evaluates how much environmental benefit is provided by a
variety of hybrid designs.
A New Road
The next decade may see a revolution in which the automobile industry
offers consumers more choices than ever before. But predicting the exact
role hybrid vehicles will play in transportation’s future is beyond the scope
of this report. Instead, the following chapters explore the questions outlined
above: What exactly is a hybrid vehicle? What kind of fuel economy, cost,
and vehicle performance can we expect from hybrids? And what will it take
to help ensure that hybrids live up to their promise?
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Chapter 5
HEV COMPONENTS
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HEV Motors/Controllers
Motors are the "work horses" of Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) drive
systems. In an HEV, an electric traction motor converts electrical energy
from the energy storage unit to mechanical energy that drives the wheels of
the vehicle. Unlike a traditional vehicle, where the engine must "ramp up"
before full torque can be provided, an electric motor provides full torque at
low speeds. This characteristic gives the vehicle excellent "off the line"
acceleration. Important characteristics of an HEV motor include good drive
control and fault tolerance, as well as low noise and high efficiency. Other
characteristics include flexibility in relation to voltage fluctuations and, of
course, acceptable mass production costs. Front-running motor technologies
for HEV applications include permanent magnet, AC induction, and
switched reluctance motors. Batteries are an essential component of HEVs.
Although a few production HEVs with advanced batteries have been
introduced in the market, no current battery technology has demonstrated an
economically acceptable combination of power, energy efficiency, and life
cycle for high-volume production vehicles.
Desirable attributes of high-power batteries for HEV applications are high-
peak and pulse-specific power, high specific energy at pulse power, a high
charge acceptance to maximize regenerative braking utilization, and long
calendar and cycle life. Developing methods/designs to balance the packs
electrically and thermally, developing accurate techniques to determine a
battery's state of charge, developing abuse-tolerant batteries, and
recyclability are additional technical challenges.
Lead-Acid Batteries
Lead-acid batteries can be designed to be high power and are inexpensive,
safe, and reliable. A recycling infrastructure is in place for them. But low
specific energy, poor cold temperature performance, and short calendar and
cycle life are still impediments to their use. Advanced high-power lead-acid
batteries are being developed for HEV applications.
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Nickel-Cadmium Batteries
Although nickel-cadmium batteries, used in many electronic consumer
products, have higher specific energy and better life cycle than lead-acid
batteries, they do not deliver sufficient power and are not being considered
for HEV applications.
Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries
Nickel-metal hydride batteries, used routinely in computer and medical
equipment, offer reasonable specific energy and specific power capabilities.
Their components are recyclable, but a recycling structure is not yet in
place. Nickel-metal hydride batteries have a much longer life cycle than lead
acid
batteries and are safe and abuse-tolerant. These batteries have been used
successfully in production electric vehicles and recently in low-volume
production HEVs. The main challenges with nickel-metal hydride batteries
are their high cost, high self-discharge and heat generation at high
temperatures, the need to control losses of hydrogen, and their low cell
efficiency.
Lithium Ion Batteries
The lithium ion batteries are rapidly penetrating into laptop and cell-phone
markets because of their high specific energy. They also have high specific
power, high-energy efficiency, good high-temperature performance, and low
self-discharge. Components of lithium ion batteries could also be recycled.
These characteristics make lithium ion batteries suitable for HEV
applications. However, to make them commercially viable for HEVs, further
development is needed similar to those for the EV-design versions including
improvement in calendar and cycle life, higher degree of cell and battery
safety, abuse tolerance, and acceptable cost.
Lithium Polymer Batteries
Lithium polymer batteries with high specific energy, initially developed for
EV applications, also have the potential to provide high specific power for HEV
applications. The other key characteristics of the lithium polymer are safety
and good cycle and calendar life. The battery could be commercially viable
if the cost is lowered and higher specific power batteries are developed
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CHAPTER 6
6.1 ADVANTAGES
6.2 DISADVANTAGES
The SI engine has a few weaknesses that have not been significant
problems in the past, but may become problems in the future.
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Chapter 7
CONCLUSION
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Chapter 8
REFERENCES
[1] "World Premiere of All-New Prius in Japan" (Press release). Toyota Global. 2022-11-16.
Retrieved 2022-11-16.
[2] "Alternative Fuels Data Center: How do Hybrid Electric Cars Work?".
[3] "History of Hybrid Vehicles". HybridCars.com. 2006-03-27. Archived from the
original on 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
[4] Matt Lake (2001-11-08). "How it works; A Tale of 2 Engines: How Hybrid Cars Tame
Emissions". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
[5] Elizabeth Lowery (2007-07-01). "Energy diversity as a business imperative". The
Futurist. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
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