2008年，美國消費者經歷了創歷史新高和新低（相對而言）的汽油價格。在相當壹段時間中，這個實際價格是自80年代初以來未曾有過的。
Partially as a result of the high gasoline prices (approaching $4/gallon for part of the year), sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) remained strong in 20082 – roughly at the same level as in 2007, and several automakers announced plans to introduce plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)3 as well as full electric vehicles (EVs).
部分歸咎於高汽油價格（08年中有時高達4美元/加侖），混合動力電動車（HEVs）在08年銷售量依然勢頭不減，保持和07年相當的水平。有些汽車制造商計劃引進插電型油電混合車和全電動車。
The total HEV sales remained about 2-3 percent of all vehicle sales. An important step for the further market penetration of HEVs, as well as the electrification of the nation’s personal transportation, is the development of cost-effective, long lasting, and abuse-tolerant Li-ion batteries.
混合動力電動車在總汽車銷售量中保持2%~3%的份額。對於混合動力電動車未來市場滲透，重要的壹步是開發低本高效，持續性長的鋰電池，這也是國家個人傳輸電氣化重要的壹個步驟。