Rising energy costs and increasingly strict emissions regulations are expected to drive demand for hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) up by 2013, according to a study by Cleveland-based market research firm the Freedonia Group.
The study predicts HEVs will represent 6 percent of the world light vehicle demand in 2013.
According to the Freedonia study, the U.S. is expected to experience the greatest demand for HEVs, followed closely by Western Europe and Japan. In China, government interesting in controlling mobile emissions is expected to spur growth in that country, as well.
Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries provide the power source for HEVs—a rechargeable alternative to the lead-acid batteries that power traditional light vehicles. At their end-of-life, the batteries themselves, rich in nickel, are valuable commodities.
See the January 2005 issue of Recycling Today for the full story on the opportunities and challenges posed to recyclers by the emergence of NiMH batteries on the market.
The Freedonia study also predicts that cost disparities between HEVs and conventional light vehicles will decline significantly as production volume increases.
The full study is available for purchase through the Freedonia Group.
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