If one can trust the predictions, then the demand for hybrids will increase even more in the next few years or even decades, only to be replaced at some point by purely electric vehicles. Amazing for such a combination of combustion engine and electric motor, but not at all surprising, if one knows e.g. the EU regulations. Because they favour the hybrid drive in unexpected ways.

All vehicles are counted for the first 100 km in terms of their CO₂ emissions, only the battery charge before the start is not. By this rules a door has almost been opened for all of the following those manufacturers who fail to comply with certain regulations, especially as these will soon be tightened by 35 percent. Theoretically, the battery capacity could be increased so much, that the 100 km can be done purely electrically.

Of course they will not do that, because then the situation would be evident. Everyone would notice that the CO₂ values for the next hundred kilometres are quite different. And who recharges his PlugIn- Hybrid after every 100 km? Such people buy a pure electric car.

It doesn't even have to be plug-ins, as rechargeable hybrids, that help manufacturers out of the predicament. Although, from a certain size of battery it makes sense to make them rechargeable. Probably the capacity will be bigger, while the non-rechargeable hydrides will get smaller batteries, see Toyota.

The further development of hybrids is almost inevitably linked to that of pure electric vehicles, e.g. because of the electric motor and battery. But there is also a line of its own along which they are making further progress. Since these mobiles almost always originate from vehicles with combustion engines, there are different arrangements of battery and engine.

Here is the example of the Volvo XC 90 AWD, which offers an additional complete drive for the rear axle. This of course also eliminates the need for storage space for the battery, which now has to be accommodated under a raised centre console. Below you see such a possibility with a PlugIn Hybrid. The space of the spare wheel is used for battery and charging device, but also a part of the luggage compartment.

More complicated is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which is still considered the best-selling plug-in hybrid in the world in 2019. It also has two electric motors, one for the rear axle. The other supports the combustion engine directly. Despite its high torque, this is sometimes necessary, because it only runs in one gear at a time and therefore does not require a gearbox.

Probably the most common arrangement for all-wheel drive is the one with an electric motor in the clutch housing or directly behind it in the automatic transmission (picture below). This makes the conversion to a hybrid drive quite easy, at least for the electric motor. Occasionally, replacing the converter with a friction clutch does not even consume more space. All other drive components remain unaffected.

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Oh yes, then there are the distinctions, fundamental divisions, mostly thrown overboard by the stormy development. At the same time, in principle, all hybrid drives, so-called serials do not exist in pure culture. Why? Because it makes little sense to convert chemical energy into electrical energy and then into mechanical energy.

Yes, some have called themselves so, e.g. the Chevrolet Volt or Opel Ampera. We will see that there is still a possible mechanical connection between the electric motor and the axle drive. Honda propagates this in the CR-V. But supplying electricity exclusively to the electric motor does not do this for either of the combustion engines. It is always only in one specific mode the case.

The Range Extender comes closest to the serial hybrid. However, since this is optional in the BMW i3, for example, you can not really count it to this actually non-existent group. In addition, the Range Extender is only used in an emergency case. The consumption is so high that the maximum of nine litres available is only sufficient for about 100 km. One could also put an emergency power generator in the luggage compartment and call it a serial hybrid.

The distinction between micro- and mild hybrids is also slowly becoming marginalized. If you define it by an start-stop-automatic start and recuperation, then the former is already the case in an unbelievable number of vehicles. of conventional design. Some of them are already recuperating. Are they all mild hybrids?

And what happens if the 48V technology becomes widely accepted, starter and generator in one device, starting is also possible purely electrically, combustion is added afterwards. What is that then, a micro or a mild hybrid? After all, the example shows that hybrid technology can also spread in very small doses in the world of pure combustion engines.