Book excerpt: The automotive industry is waking up to the fact that hybrid electric vehicles could provide an answer to the ever-increasing need for lower-polluting and more fuelefficient forms of personal transport. This is the first book to give comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the hybrid vehicle design, from its power plant and energy storage systems, to the supporting chassis subsystems necessary for realising hybrid modes of operation. Key topics covered include hybrid propulsion system architectures, propulsion system sizing, electric traction system sizing and design, loss mechanisms, system simulation and vehicle certification. The book is suitable for practising engineers and managers involved in all aspects of hybrid vehicle development, modelling and simulation and testing. It will also be of interest to postgraduate students in the field.