Energy Consumption Study for a Hybrid Electric Vehicle

New regulations adopted by some North America states, to reduce pollution from vehicles, are forcing the auto-industry to introduce hybrid electric cars as a temporary solution, before the “clean” electric vehicles would become ready for consumer use. The FutureCar concept introduced by the USA government, in cooperation with the “Big Three” automotive manufacturers, is the first step to solve the future energy shortage and pollution problems associated with today's vehicles.

The paper presents a proposal towards development of a low-cost, high efficiency and low emission mid-size car with an acceptable driveability. The choice of the IC engine, electric motor, drivetrain and control system are described. A demonstration project initiated in parallel should contribute to the validity of this proposal.