A Hybrid car is a vehicle that moves by consuming two or more distinct power sources, and the most common type in this vehicles are hybrid electric vehicles, which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. Hybrid car batteries is of two types – one is nickel metal hydride, and the other is lithium ion, these are more environmental friendly compared to lead based batteries. Power sources for hybrid vehicles are electricity, compressed air, coal or wood, hydrogen, liquid nitrogen, solar power, wind, etc., The costs of many rare raw materials used in the manufacture of hybrid cars are also high.
The Indian government is planning to introduce new policy for encouraging the production of hybrid cars in India. The government is planning to give excise duty concessions to encourage the buyers to purchase the hybrid vehicles so that the consumption of the fossil fuels can be reduced and it also protects the environment. At present, the excise duty is in the range of 10 per cent to 22 per cent, depending on their size for the cars that run on conventional fuels. In order to increase the hybrid cars production in the county, the government has to reduce the excise duty to a reasonably low level.
India does not has the advanced technology to produce the hybrid cars, hence, the technology is to be upgraded and the government is likely to provide incentives for research and development in the field of hybrid cars, so that highly efficient hybrid vehicles can be developed.