No one has mentioned that jurisdictions around the world are planning to phase out diesel automobiles starting in 2020. Manufacturers are quickly following suit and are dropping diesel so further research and investment will also come to an end. It stands to reason that the best option to replace diesel from a fuel savings standpoint is hybrid, or plug-in hybrid. At the same time, due to the rise of BEVs, the cost of lithium batteries is decreasing. With the coming death of diesel, I suspect that there will be more hybrid drivetrain options in the near future. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
Then there will be roles that can't abandon the ICE for some time. If the goal is to move away from fossil fuels, it wouldn't be prudent to end an ICE type that could prove to be the best one when it comes to renewable fuels.
Lots of places, including here in Santa Clara, have a large number of hybrid buses in services. Technology has improved enough that their future plans are to buy electric buses. It is a slow process, though. You just don't throw your buses away when new technology comes along. Even Santa Clara isn't that rich.
