Hybrid Technology

Future of hybrid electric vehicles, SUV

The future of HEV, Hybrid Electic Vehicles seems to be increasing with the car companies and especially with many of the 2010 vehicles that have been released or are scheduled to be released in 2009. Part of the future of Hybrid vehicles included the Obama Administration and the Department of Energy are scheduled to offer $1.5 billion in grants to US based manufacturers to produced highly efficient batteries that are used in Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The grants will cover the batteries and their components.

The Department of Energy is also offering up to $500 million in grants to US based manufacturers to produce other components needed for electric vehicles, such as electric motors and other components. The future of the hybrid includes Americans who decide to purchase of of these Plug-In Hybrid vehicles will be able to claim a tax credit of up to $7,500 from their income tax.

The future of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle which is also known as a PHEV is a hybrid vehicle with batteries. These batteries can be recharged by connecting a plug to an electric power source. The vehicle shares the characteristics of both traditional hybrid electric vehicles, having an electric motor and a internal combustion engine, and of battery electric vehicles, also having a plug to connect to the electric grid. 2010 will see this type of vehicle go into production with versions of the Chevrolet Volt, Saturn Vue and the Volkswagen Golf. In January 2007, GM introduced the Chevrolet Volt in trials, which had a plug-in capable, battery-dominant series hybrid architecture which they are calling E-Flex. Future E-Flex plug-in hybrid vehicles may use gasoline, diesel, or hydrogen fuel cell power to supplement the vehicle’s battery.

Regardless of its architecture, the future of the hybrid includes a plug-in hybrid may be capable of charge-depleting and charge-sustaining modes. Combination of these two modes are termed blended mode or mixed-mode. These vehicles can be designed to drive for an extended range in all-electric mode, either at low speeds only or at all speeds. These modes manage the vehicle’s battery discharge strategy, and their use has a direct effect on the size and type of battery required. This is when a chargeable and changeable battery comes into play.

The future of the hybrid has many possibilities. The biggest growth being that of the Plug-In Hybrid models. The ability to have many of the capabilities of a pure battery automobile with one that uses aninternal combustion engine, whether its gasoline, diesel or hydrogen definitely has its benefits.