Uncovering the True Potential of Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Abstract

“Our house is burning down and we’re blind to it. Nature, mutilated and overexploited, can no longer regenerate and we refuse to admit it. Humanity is suffering. It is suffering from poor development, in both the North and the South, and we stand indifferent. The earth and humankind are in danger and we are all responsible.” (Chirac, 2002) Over the last decade, ‘Sustainable Development’ became the priority of international regulatory bodies. In order to protect the environment, significant cuts in terms of toxic emissions have to be made. Moreover, as the world’s feedstock of fossil resources gradually diminishes, prompt actions must be taken in order to develop the use of renewable sources of energy. The automotive industry, a major contributor to Green House effect, is well aware of the necessity to develop a new technology that would enable an environmental-friendly transportation sector. Several pathways are currently being explored, however, the technology that will be used to propel tomorrow’s car has not yet been selected. Indeed, there is no consensus among the stakeholders of the industry as to which technology will prove to be the dominant design for the future. As a result, the industry is currently in a period of upheaval in which all emerging technologies are competing for power, support, and momentum. Among all the potential alternatives a technology which increasingly has gained importance is the Hybrid technology. This thesis will attempt to clarify to what extent the emerging alternatives comply with the environmental requirements. As such, the true potential of Hybrid Electric Vehicles to become a sustainable alternative will be presented. A direct comparison with rival technologies enabled to demonstrate that Hybrid technology offers the possibility to eliminate toxic emissions as well as the use of fossil resources, while providing a high level of functionality at low cost.