The world is now focusing on the impending energy crisis and each country needs to concentrate on energy security as well as growing pollution and environmental concerns. With its new developing market, all eyes are currently on Asia. Emerging Asian markets, especially countries such as China, Korea, and India, are witnessing rapidly growing economies. But, rapid growth has also brought soaring urban populations, growing pollution concerns and a concomitant massive requirement for energy resources. It is estimated that by 2030, Asia’s car population will reach an incredible 400 million.

Inspite of improvement in emission norms, today's motor vehicles remain a major source of regional air pollution and global greenhouse gases. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) have emerged as a synergistic vehicle/energy system that could meet society's need for practical and sustainable personal transportation while avoiding these technical obstacles and environmental constraints. HEVs have the potential to revolutionize transportation in two ways:

Improved fuel economy : First, they can use conventional fuels (e.g., gasoline) much more efficiently and more cleanly. A hybridelectric propulsion system produces as much as a doubling of fuel economy compared to the same vehicle with a conventional engine and automatic multispeed transmission.

Reduced emissions : Motor vehicles are a major source of NOx, the key precursor emission to the formation of low level ozone. On a global basis, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels increase each year, due in large measure to the increasing use of fossil fuels, and other "greenhouse gases." An HEV version of the same vehicle using gasoline can produce 1/10 of the current levels of emission.

In the US, it was estimated that if 10,000 hybrid electric vehicles were substituted for the than current standard vehicles, then:
• Smog causing emissions of nitrogen oxides would be reduced by 1,700 tonnes annually
• Carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by 83,000 tonnes annually the equivalent to planting 2 million trees.
• Diesel fuel usage would be reduced by 7.2 million gallons, which requires 1 million barrels of crude oil to produce.

These benefits are expected to be significant in Indian conditions, given the fact that the frequent startandstops on Indian roads have adverse effect on the overall efficiency and environmental performance of internal combustion engines.

There are major research efforts underway in the US, Europe and Japan. China has also made significant progress towards the development of electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The Freedom Car and Fuel Partnership programme in the United States focus on the high risk research such as fuel cells and advanced hybrid propulsion systems, to provide a full range of affordable cars and light trucks that are free of foreign oil and harmful emissions.

The Future Truck and Future Car competitions were launched to bring together academia and industry, to help train the future work force and increase public awareness about alternative fuel technologies.

With the rapidly growing economic development of India, we are already overstretching our energy consumption, and this demand for energy is further growing rapidly. We are also plagued with high and growing pollution levels with serious health consequences.

Given these environmental and political concerns, as well as the rapid depletion of our resources, it’s imperative that we lead the world and create new and innovative solutions. But, even in a nation like ours, with millions of brilliant minds, we have to foster a nurturing environment in which change and new, groundbreaking ideas can take hold.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) typically combine the internal combustion engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and electric motor of an electric vehicle. The components of HEV Drivetrain are : Electric traction motor/ controllers, electric energy storage systems, such as batteries and ultracapacitor, Hybrid power units such as spark ignition engine, compression ignition direct injection (diesel) engine, gas turbines and fuel cell, fuel systems for hybrid power units, and Transmission.

Hybrid electric vehicles are characterized by a complex interplay of conventional vehicle components (IC Engine, transmission etc.) and new electric components (electric machines, electric auxiliaries, energy storages etc.). Ensuring highest advantages of these vehicles require optimization of the different components in the context of the entire vehicle. The systems and components that needs to be improved through research and development which help reduce emissions and improve vehicle efficiencies are as follows:

• Emission Control systems
• Energy Management and systems
• Thermal management of components
• Lightweight and aerodynamics body/chasis
• Low rolling resistance (Including body design and tires)
• Reduction of accessory loads.

The flexibility in HEV design comes from the ability of the control strategy to manage how much power is flowing to or from each component. This way, the components can be integrated with a control strategy to achieve the optimal design for a given set of design constraints. There are many (often conflicting) objectives desirable for HEVs. The primary ones are to:

• Maximize fuel economy
• Minimize emissions
• Minimize propulsion system cost to keep the vehicles affordable to the consumer market
• Do all of the above while maintaining or improving on acceptable performance (acceleration, range, handling, noise, etc.)

During a conference on Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies held at Pune during January 2007 a meeting was held to discuss technology priorities for electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The meeting was chaired by Shri SR Marathe, Director, ARAI Pune and participated by several representatives of major vehicle manufacturers, component/ subsystem manufacturers, and academic/ R&D institutes. The idea of National Hybrid Propulsion Platform was generated during this meeting and a concept paper authored by Shri SR Marathe, Dr. GK Sharma (the-then Director, CIRT Pune) and Dr Arun Jaura (VP, R&D and Product Development, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited) was included in the Report of the Sub-Committee on R&D in Energy Technologies for the 11th Plan Period.

Subsequently Society for Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has taken a lead and constituted a panel under the chairmanship of Dr Arun Jaura and organized several meetings and teleconferences to discuss participation of OEMs in the proposed initiative and to deliberate on the details of the implementation plan. Three groups have been formed:

• Commercial Vehicles: lead by Mr Govindrajan, Tata Motors
• Passenger Vehicles : Dr Arun Jaura, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited
• Two/ three wheelers: Capt. N S Mohanram, TVS Motors Limited

Each group has prepared a detailed project report for each of these categories on hybrid vehicles.

The project would be driven in a phased manner.

• Phase -1 Technology Demo for commonwealth game which would involve system integration and running the vehicles.
• Phase-2 would be Consolidation and making it feasible
• Phase -3 would be making it economically viable