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Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) combine the internal combustion engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and electric motor of an electric vehicle, resulting in twice the fuel economy of conventional vehicles. The practical benefits of HEVs include improved fuel economy and lower emissions compared to conventional vehicles. HEVs have comparable performance, safety and cost to conventional vehicles.

What HEVs are available on the market today?
Ford Escape Hybrid SUV
Honda Civic Hybrid
Lexus RX 400h luxury SUV
Lexus GS450h
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Toyota Prius
Chevy Silverado

Visit these manufacturers web sites to learn more about each specific model.

What are the advantages of HEVs over conventional vehicles?

1. Regenerative braking capability helps minimize energy loss and recover the energy used to slow down or stop a vehicle.
2. Increase of fuel efficiency over conventional vehicles.
3. Decrease in emissions of global-warming pollutants and smog-forming pollutants.
4. Reduction on the dependency of fossil fuels because HEVs can run on alternative fuels.
5. Reduced car weight due to special lightweight materials and because engines can be sized to accommodate average load rather than peak load.
6. The federal clean fuel vehicle property tax deduction may be claimed for some hybrid vehicles.

Government Programs
The Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) Program developed as a partnership between the US Department of Energy (DEO) and three American automobile manufacturers: General Motors, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler. The overall goal of the program was to develop production feasible HEVs that achieved twice the fuel economy of similar gasoline vehicles and had comparable performance, safety, and costs by 2003. Learn more about Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV's).

The following are more programs that are related to the development of HEVs:

1. FreedomCAR Program
2. Fuel Cell Program
3. 21st Century Truck Program
4. Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles
5. Vehicle Auxiliary Load Reduction Project
6. Vehicle Systems Analysis Project
7. Battery Thermal Management Project
8. CARAT Program (Cooperative Automotive Research for Advanced Technology)
9. Advanced Battery Readiness Ad Hoc Working Group (27 KB PDF )

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