Despite massive spending on developing hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), not one design of HEV is anywhere near mass production. Experts believe that the HEV could and should be the car of the future. An HEV is an electric car whose range is extended, because it also has a small internal combustion engine and an on-board electric generator to charge its batteries. Thus it can be run as an electric vehicle for short commuting trips and as an ordinary car for long journeys. Allowing for the pollution caused by electricity generation, an electric car causes about 10% as much pollution as a conventional car, and an HEV only 12.5% as much because of its astonishing fuel efficiency. Although good prototype HEVs were built in the mid-1970s, interest in them waned until 1993. Then the US Government announced the formation of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) consortium of the `Big Three' car makers of the USA and about 350 smaller technical firms, which are aiming to develop a car that can travel 34km/l (80 miles per gallon) of petrol. Many types of design are possible. It seems unlikely that the PNGV will reach its goal by 2004. The Europeans and Japanese are aiming for HEVs which are less ambitious, but which will be more marketable in the short term. For the covering abstract, see IRRD 896880.
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