ausheds  has drawn my attention to the current reality of world...

ausheds  has drawn my attention to the current reality of world EV production. Until there’s a REAL BREAKTHROUGH IN BATTERY TECHNOLOGY, this will surely remain the main game. BUT the inexorable growing demand for powerful lightweight electric motors that will clearly remain fundamentally dependent on RE magnets - means that Lynas Corporation’s future looks very assured to this careful observer over the past decade!

‘Electrification: marketing bubble rather than EV commitment

In addition to "new mobility", the term "electrification" has been used for some years in the PR discourse of just about all car brands. Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover dropped a bomb shell last year by announcing that their portfolio would soon be "all electric".

This naturally led to confusion and wrong assumptions. Soon the story went that Volvo was only going to build electric cars from 2019 onwards. That is, of course, nonsense. With "all-electric" the brand meant that it would not launch any new models anymore that are not equipped with an electric motor. Volvo may be taking the lead in this respect, but many other OEMs will adopt the same strategy over the next years.

In practice that means that most models will still be powered by a combustion engine, but one that gets assistance from an electric motor powered by a small 48V battery. Indeed, this makes them mild hybrids. The electric motor usually takes the shape of a belt-driven starter-alternator, which can give a push, but never drive the car independently......’

https://www.fleeteurope.com/en/manufacturers/europe/analysis/electrification-marketing-bubble-rather-ev-commitment

I have driven an Escape hybrid and they seem great around town . The motor doesn't come on until your on the highway going up hills ( bay area Cali ) . Great car can't wait for the future versions. 

But you hit the nail on the head . Small engines and batteries working together .