There are plenty of dynamometers in the world which are capable of helping tuners get the most from their engines. There aren't very many that allow the same type of tuning for hybrids, though. Hybrid drivetrains can be very complex pieces, featuring both the internal combustion engine of a normal passenger car and the motor, controller and batteries of an electric vehicle. To get the most out of each independent system, testing is becoming increasingly important.

As any tuner knows, there's a fine line between getting everything available from the drivetrain and artificially shortening its life because its being pushed too hard, and this is especially true when it comes to batteries. To help carmakers meet these growing demands, FEV, Inc. is planning to open eight new sites equipped to allow for hybrid drivetrain development. Each site allows for the monitoring of both the engine and the electrical systems. With the increasing numbers of hybrids being sold, expect more locations like these to pop up in the near future.

[Source: FEV, Inc]