HYBRID AUTOMOBILES: COSTS VS. POTENTIALS

This article presents the findings by five research organizations who conducted studies during 1977-1980 to determine the near-term tradeoffs between hybrid electric passenger cars and their internal combustion engined counterparts. It was found that: heat engine/electric hybrid vehicles have a potential for subsituting electrical energy for 40-80% of the petroleum fuel consumed by conventional internal combustion engine cars; hybrids exceed their counterparts' projected purchase prices by 21-62%, but run only 0-27% more in terms of life-cycle costs; and hybrids' cost competitiveness is inversely correlated with their petroleum fuel displacement capabilities and quite sensitive to petroleum fuel prices. All the selected designs achieved break-even life-cycle costs at fuel prices of $2.70/gallon or less in 1978 dollars.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/2240909
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Publication Date: 1982-2

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 63-68
• Serial:
  • Automotive Engineering
  • Volume: 90
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • ISSN: 0098-2571

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Electric vehicles; Fuel consumption; Hybrid vehicles; Internal combustion engines; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle costing; Prices
• Subject Areas: Energy; Finance; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment; I96: Vehicle Operating Costs;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00366796
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-032 922
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 30 1982 12:00AM