Abstract
This paper describes a novel pollution-aware approach for intelligent switching between electric and conventional propulsion in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The switching is based on pollution information and pollution control zones location and size, combined with travel route and destination information, estimated travel distance on current charge level of battery and, in certain instances, with traffic congestion information, thereby enabling the journey to be completed such that adequate battery charge is available to transit all relevant pollution control zones in Smart Cities of the future. Additionally we outline a method for inferring the mode (specific combination of power or fuel sources) an HEV is running in, using roadside thermal cameras, enabling efficient enforcement of low-emission zones in future Smart Cities.