The state of the art of electric vehicles technology

In a world where environment protection and energy conservation are growing concerns, the development of electric and hybrid vehicles (EV/HEV) has taken on an accelerated pace. The dream of having commercially viable electric/hybrid vehicles is becoming a reality. Electric and hybrid vehicles are gradually available in the market. This paper reviews the present status of electric and hybrid vehicles worldwide and their state of the art, with emphasis on the engineering philosophy and key technologies. The importance of the integration of technologies of automobile, electric motor drive, electronics, energy storage and controls, and the importance of the integration of society strength from government, industry, research institutions, electric power utilities and transportation authorities are addressed. The challenge of EV commercialization is discussed