Hybrid/Electric Automobiles

Although hybrid/electric vehicles (HEV) make up only a small portion of the market (approximately 5 percent), sales have been steadily increasing. J. D. Power predicts U.S. hybrid sales will triple between 2008 and 2015. In Canada, sales of hybrids tripled from 2004 to 2006. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) points out that while HEVs have a long history in the automobile and motorcycle niche market, their recent popularity is the result of advances in electric-drive technologies that have enabled the major automakers to mass produce these vehicles by integrating internal combustion engines (ICE) with standardized batteries and electric motors. The draw for the consumer is that HEVs typically get better city and combined fuel economy than their equivalent ICE counterparts and roughly the same ...