Since the beginning of the century, electrical engineering technologies and applications have pervaded daily life and are present in the majority of everyday products, tools, and appliances. Increasingly these applications are becoming more prevalent in the automotive vehicle and products market. While change in this field has been relatively slow over the last ten last years, the pace of change is now beginning to accelerate and we are witnessing a wave driven by regulatory constraints and market laws which are sweeping away the last bastions of resistance.

This book discusses both the historical and scientific issues surrounding the application of electrical technology in the automotive drives field, as well as potential future developments, such as hybrid vehicles and fuel cells. In the current context of energy conservation, pollution prevention, and carbon control, this book will provide an important and timely examination of a potentially enormous new market.

Joseph Beretta is currently with the Division of Research and Automobile Innovation at PSA Peugeot Citroën, where he is responsible for the domain of electromechanical research, electrochemistry, electronics and systems.