On reliability and flexibility of sustainable energy application route for vehicles in China

China has been pushed to the brink of unsustainability by the foreseeable depletion of fossil-fuels and the observable deterioration of natural-environment, and transportation sector (especially the fuel consumed by on-road vehicles) is one utmost essential factor to the gigantic crisis. Therefore, making thinks and discussions upon the future route of vehicle power is significant to the sustainable development of China. For providing beneficial and reliable suggestions to a reasonable and scientific design on China's future route of vehicle power, the present article makes analysis and discussions in two steps. In the first step, three driven modes (including ICEs driven, electric driven, and hybrid driven) are reviewed on the current status in China, and the reliability and flexibility of each mode has been discussed upon the maturity of technologies, actual effects on energy saving with emissions reducing, and the commercialization potential. In the second step, the reliability and flexibility of three kinds of alternative fuel (including fossil-based fuels, biomass-based fuels, and hydrogen) have been analyzed and discussed, and the effects of energy dependence and potential energy supply are considered. Upon the analysis and discussions, the promising routes of China's vehicle power in short-and-medium term and medium-and-long term have been prompted. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.