Abstract:

The briefing paper summarises the status of hybrid vehicle development in the United States. The analyses summarized in this briefing paper suggest that before 2025 full-function P2 hybrids are likely to fall to half the cost of 2010 systems, without factoring in additional cost reductions enabled by vehicle weight reduction. 48-volt systems have the potential to be significantly more cost effective, achieving most of the benefits of a full-function hybrid at much lower cost. Some manufacturers might deploy them as stepping stones to higher-voltage systems, with the lower-cost systems used to accelerate market acceptance while the costs of all hybrid systems come down.