Internal Combustion Engines

The IC engine is the most popular power plant for motor vehicles. In the foreseeable future, it will still be the dominant vehicular power plant. In HEVs, the IC engine will also be the first selection as a primary power source. However, the operation of an HEV differs from that of a conventional motor vehicle. The engine in an HEV runs for a longer time at high power and does not require its power to be changed frequently. A specifically designed and controlled engine for hybrid vehicle applications has not been fully developed. In this chapter, the commonly used four-stroke (4S) IC engine and other types of engines, which can be possibly used in hybrid vehicles, such as two-stroke (2S) engines, rotary engines, Stirling engines, and gas turbine engines, are reviewed. For more details, readers may consult the relevant literature.