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Hybrid systems have been available for several years now, and offer customers a decrease in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions at an incremental price. Hybrids, in some cases, have offered improved other customer benefits such as reduced noise, vibration and harshness or better acceleration and the satisfaction of increased societal benefit. Sometimes the vehicle utility is compromised by the volume dedicated to energy storage systems. Several hybrid architecture arrangements exist in the market, and offer various levels of hybrid feature. But considering acquisition cost and operating expense, most hybrid vehicles have not offered a direct total cost advantage when compared to non-hybrids. GM's new e-Assist system is highly integrated with the engine and transmission functionality, and takes advantage of the highest value fuel economy enablers available with light electrification.

This paper presents the design and performance details of electric propulsion system for GM's second generation Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV). First generation Chevrolet Volts have been driven over half a billion miles in North America from October 2013 through September 2014, 74% of which were all-electric. The second generation of Volt brings a significant mass reduction and increased performance, EV driving range and fuel economy while simultaneously reducing rare earth content in its traction electric motors. The electric propulsion system is built on two electric machines; both PMAC topology. While hybrid-electric vehicles are gaining in popularity in hopes of addressing cleaner, energy sustainable technology in transportation, materials sustainability and rare earth dependence mitigation has not been the first priority in the hybrids available on the market today.

There are now a wide variety of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in or near production. They reduce or displace petroleum consumption with of various combinations of conventional IC engine, mechanical transmission, liquid fuel storage, electrical energy storage, electrical and electro-mechanical energy conversion, and vehicle-to-grid energy interface. These Electrified types of vehicles include Mild Hybrid, Full Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid, Extended Range Electric, and Battery Electric. Some types differ in their actual usability for the real mixes of driving trips, and further that differ in their effectiveness to reduce or displace fuel in actual real world driving use. Vehicle size is also a factor in total vehicle utility in transporting people. If we may segment drivers by their driving needs, in each segment, we see a particular type of electrified vehicle that is better suited than others at minimizing fuel cost and petroleum consumption for the purposes of transporting people.