Electrical systems for hybrid vehicles

This paper is a digest of the electrical system section of a report [8] on the feasibility of using a hybrid heat engine/electrical propulsion system as a means of reducing exhaust emissions from street-operated vehicles. The electrical system is composed of an electric traction motor, a generator, control system, and batteries. Batteries are not covered in this paper, but the remainder of the items will be treated here. First, the electrical system parameters or characteristics that have the greatest impact on the total system are considered; next, details of the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches are summarized; and, finally, development efforts are recommended.