Continuously increasing share of the hybrid and electric vehicles in the global automotive market justifies the need for detailed analysis of the operational effectiveness of these drive systems. The aim of the study was to assess the operational conditions of the combustion engines and electric motors in hybrid drive systems – full hybrid – of the motor vehicles in urban traffic conditions. Variety of designs of such drive systems is related to the high voltage batteries used and the way of charging them. The road tests were conducted in Warsaw (urban traffic conditions) by recording the operational parameters of three vehicles and their driving systems. The conditions of operation of the combustion engine and electric motors along with the values of their high voltage battery charge level were related to the test routes. The analysis of the relative shares of engine and motor operation time in the total time of vehicle operation in urban traffic conditions was conducted. The scope of operation of the hybrid drive system utilizing only electric propulsion system was determined. The relations between the operational indexes of the hybrid propulsion (combustion engine and electric motor) in real traffic conditions and the charge level of batteries, current speeds and accelerations were shown.