here is alittle bit of insite on the program itself:
The Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) Program officially began in 1993. It was developed as a five-year cost-shared partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and "Big Three" American auto manufacturers: General Motors, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler. They committed to produce production-feasible HEV propulsion systems by 1998, first-generation prototypes by 2000, and market-ready HEVs by 2003.
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. As the program progressed, its goals began to merge with the goals of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV). The President's budget proposal for FY 2003 directed that PNGV be refocused and transferred to DOE as the FreedomCAR program. DOE focuses on long-term, high-risk, pre-competitive research and development in fuel cells and hydrogen infrastructures and technologies.
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GM's new up and comming line up:
Plans for New HEV Models
GM plans to roll out several new HEV models between model years 2004 and 2007, including:
2004 The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. These will be available first to fleets; in fall 2004 they will be available to the public.
2005 The Saturn Vue, which will have twin electric motors. It will carry a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle rating.
2006 The Chevrolet Equinox SUV. which will provide improved fuel economy in stop-and-go driving.
2007 The Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon SUVs. These vehicles will have displacement on demand technology, which will boost fuel economy by 15%-20%. This same year GM will offer the hybrid system used on the Equinox on the Chevrolet Malibu sedan.
Fords up and comming line up:
The hybrid Ford Escape will go on sale in 2004. Ford is also working to develop a hybrid SUV.
Chryslers up and comming line up:
In 2005 DaimlerChrysler plans to release the hybrid Dodge Ram pickup; in 2006 the Mercedes S-class.
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What Are HEVs?
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. This combination offers the extended range and rapid refueling that consumers expect from a conventional vehicle, with a significant portion of the energy and environmental benefits of an electric vehicle. The practical benefits of HEVs include improved fuel economy and lower emissions compared to conventional vehicles. The inherent flexibility of HEVs will allow them to be used in a wide range of applications, from personal transportation to commercial hauling.
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HEV Advantages:
HEVs have several advantages over conventional vehicles:
Regenerative braking capability helps minimize energy loss and recover the energy used to slow down or stop a vehicle.
Engines can be sized to accommodate average load, not peak load, which reduces the engine's weight.
Fuel efficiency is greatly increased (hybrids consume significantly less fuel than vehicles powered by gasoline alone).
Emissions are greatly decreased.
HEVs can reduce dependency on fossil fuels because they can run on alternative fuels.
Special lightweight materials are used to reduce the overall vehicle weight of HEVs.
Its pretty exciting and very cool stuff that is up and comming. There is tons of good reading on this site
http://www.ott.doe.gov/hev/hev.html
Whats you out look on the whole thing?