A method for treating exhaust gas emitted by an internal combustion engine (ICE) in a hybrid architected motor vehicle with an electric motor. The method includes disposing a heater in the exhaust, disposing a first Lean NOx Trap (LNT) downstream of the heater, disposing a second LNT downstream of the first LNT, disposing a passive selective catalytic reduction (SCR) downstream of the second LNT, disposing a hydrocarbon oxidation catalyst downstream of the SCR. The method also includes connecting a controller to the heater, the controller executes a method of controlling the NOx emissions of the ICE, the method includes monitoring a torque demand for the vehicle, determining if the torque demand is large enough to cause the ICE to generate excessive NOx, operating the ICE at a torque less than the torque demand, and operating the motor with the ICE to provide sufficient torque to satisfy the torque demand.