Abstract
Global warming has been identified as one of the most important problems facing mankind in the 21st century. Currently, some 6 gigatonnes of CO2 are emitted each year as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels, and a large fraction of these emissions originate from the transportation sector. By examining the complete energy conversion chain, the choice of primary energy source for any particular application becomes easier to understand. A discussion of alternatives to the internal combustion engine as the sole power source for vehicular propulsion is presented, and some form of hybrid electric vehicle propulsion system is identified as being a likely choice to reduce fossil fuel consumption, and therefore CO2 emissions from the transportation sector. The demonstrated market success of grid-independent hybrid vehicles may be followed by a new design of “plug-in hybrid” vehicles in which it is possible to travel for up to 100 km in an all-electric mode, while maintaining the option of using an internal combustion engine when greater range between charging cycles is required.
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