Not always so. Our Toyota Hybrids are performing very well and supply the claimed consumption savings after a combined 100,000+ Km. The new Prius is doing even better at close to 60 mpg (when my wife is driving).

That's an excellent relatively low cost first step on the road to reduced oil imports for USA and Canada and many other countries.

Of course, PHEVs, BEVs and FCEVs will do even better when sales increase by a few millions

29,000,000dollrs for a settlement for some or all of 29 US and foreign patents related to hybrid vehicle technology.
TESLA 1 was shooting for $1/W royalty for his AC motor patent and died a broken man.How much would that be worth today?
Post Paris and one could wonder about Copenhagen's technology transfer ambitions.
Sometimes politicians pursue noble aims likely knowing the challenges can't be met but that the outcomes are critical to the desired outcomes.
The bad side to these licences where denial results in hardship or worse works against the citizens interests.There are precedents where the social outcomes are deleterious and can be disqualified.
On the other hand Inventors and private venture or angel capital needs incentive.
It could be beneficial for energy efficiency or greening patents to find compensation from public funds to compensate for compulsory acquisition as a cost efficient mitigation strategy.

That 29 million might be as incomprehensible to my accountant (and I'm not) but as a disincentive to any company it will stall and delay technology rollout.
Everyone says technology rollout etc needs to be ramped up at Manhattan level priority.
We live in hope.

The commoner values fuel consumption and efficiency after their desires to drive around in a Fast, Sexy, Shiny Sleek looking vehicle is satisfied. That vehicle must also have the ability to carry 5 adults in 110 degree sweltering heat for 450 miles between fueling all awhile keeping its occupants comfortable in 65 degree ambient temps. That vehicle must also have enough trunk space to hold 2 ton load of gravel without any hint that the GVWR is being compromised.

The commoner will not consider what a hybrid vehicle can do for them 'Unless their Carnal Desires' are satisfied.

The commoner will know that a vehicle is different if the Energy Recovery components of the Hybridized vehicle impose on their carnal desires for such a vehicle, and this includes having such components impose on their ability to haul people and cargo (the trunk space cannot be limited either).

Mild electric (48V), Hydraulic, or todays Lithium Ion setups are of no Particular favor as far as the Commoner is concerned. They just want what they want.

The PHEV plug-in hybrid list of benefits and advantages over the other EV (and hydraulic) drivetrains is long; fuel economy is NOT the most important benefit. The safety advantage of regenerative braking is lost with hydraulic drivetrains; electric drive itself is a safer propulsion system than standard drivetrains. The relatively small PHEV battery pack is consequently less prone to overheating and fire. Households with EVs gain a backup power system, especially important in an emergency grid failure and with PHEVs a 'portable' power source less dependent upon the grid and better suited to affordably smaller rooftop photovoltiac arrays. The limited all-electric driving range of PHEVs offers an economic incentive to drive less, whereby walking, bicycling and mass transit may serve more travel needs, thus reducing the traffic hazards of driving for all purposes. New models of PHEVs more adaptably serve as light duty utility vehicles than BEVs and FCEVs. The questions of vehicle safety, EV compatability to utility grids, PV solar and vehicle fleet needs should be integral to the discussion of conversion to electric drive.

Sirkulat,

Technically a hydraulic hybrid is all about regen or recouperation including braking at the tailshaft.
I suspect you are thinking of conventional hydrostatic drive or a hydraulic 'automatic transmission'.
But electric motor drive(s) is now seeing the application of stability control directly interfacing with the whole all the
electronic smarts that enable driverless operation including preemtive 'effectively over the horizon radar' via the cloud.

The only battery pack or any electrical system that is less prone to heating affects is the one that has a properly refined designed.

I like your reference to PHEV's fit with autoambulator behaviours that have thier own virtuous outcomes.

Dr Strange Love,
Agreed consumers are very demanding!
It might be possible to have factory fitted or aftermarket upgrade to disguise the over the top bling to a 'scrubber or junker' style at a small extra cost.
There are whole neigbourhoods where this can be achieved from a short drive thru.

Could be something in the water or just a bit of mindless obscure humour. More seriously though,

"Counter argument" is a bit strong
There are arguments for and against and while simplifying technical language is admirable, simplifying a complex argument can lead to a loss of perspective.

I would stand by the technical correction especially as the more advanced e traction packages that give the enhanced safety features YOU referred to rely on the same driverless sensor technologies which you then go on to dismiss as unhelpful.

Hydraulic hybrid systems use engine braking to recharge the accumulator. There are particular cases where it has shown very substantial fuel saving benefits as well as noise reduction especially in waste services apps.

That reckless inattentive inconsiderate behaviours drink or drug driving mobile phone use as well as inexperience fatigue etc are so prevalent that it is IMO reasonable to consider the options in the interests of harm reduction.

I don't quite see why that technology should not be made available or that it diverts resources away from ev rollout.

I do have concerns about adding of cost to baseline vehicles and the cost effectiveness of medium to long term maintenance as electronic systems can degrade sequentially or simultaneously. The more things to go wrong - will.
Short lifetimes could drive higher turnover and the demands on resources etc.

There are also practical considerations as older vehicles struggle to be as nimble, fast or stop at rates compatible with new technologies.

The people who are designing the driverless systems are not necessarily being diverted from the basic drivetrain or coachwork development and there is a benefit from the expanding knowledge based industries workforce.

The bigger omission was to leave open to misinterpreting a reference to driving in dangerous neighbourhoods that should have included whole countries and regions of the world where armoured vehicles would be more practical than the good
doctors 'sleek and sexy glamour cars'.