This document discusses hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). It defines HEVs as vehicles that combine a gasoline engine with an electric motor. The document outlines the history of HEVs and describes their working principles, which include regenerative braking and an automatic stop/start function. It discusses different types of hybridization and the two main types of HEVs: series and parallel hybrids. The document provides diagrams of HEV powertrain configurations and lists the key parts of an HEV, along with their advantages of lower emissions and fuel savings and disadvantages of higher costs. It concludes that HEVs are more environmentally friendly than gas-only vehicles and that battery technology is improving.