Infiniti is preparing to show the world what the next generation M class, full size luxury sedan will look like at Pebble Beach, and the parent company Nissan has just shaken a few trees by introducing the all electric Leaf. So the only thing left to do until coming out with a working model of the next generation Infiniti M powered exclusively by by a laminated lithium ion battery pack is to adapt a hybrid module into what they already have. So Infiniti will soon unveil a gas/electric powered version of the sedan in 2010, followed by a European launch later in 2011.
The future hybrid M will be powered by a 3.7 Liter gas burning V6 combined with a compact electric motor powered by the NEC lithium ion batteries. This technology was revealed this past March at the Geneva Motor Show with the ultra luxurious and even more efficient Essence Concept.
The forward looking concept was powered by a combination of gas and electric motors that delivered a maximum output of 592 HP. The gas burning 3.7 Liter V6 was fitted with a twin turbocharger setup that delivers 434 HP, while the electric motor, called a 3D Motor delivers an additional 158 HP into the mix.
Supercar makers never the thought the day would come when they’d eventually jump on the hybrid bandwagon. After all, it does go against everything they hold so dear: power, speed, more power, and more speed.
But times have indeed changed and with that, so have the taste and preference of most car buyers. With the cards being dealt as it is, it seems like there’s no going around the hybrid train anymore and Lamborghini has instead decided to jump on board.
According to Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini is in the infancy stage of developing a small electric motor in conjunction with gasoline power, which could eventually lead to Lambo cars that cuts down on fuel consumption. The Lamborghini brass has also estimated a 2015 launch for this hybrid vehicle.
Blasphemous as it sounds for a super car brand to produce a mild hybrid version, the prevailing thought is that with Porsche and Ferrari already in the process of developing their own hybrids, it was only a matter of time before Lamborghini joins their supercar brethren in the ever-increasing hybrid pursuit.
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The initial rumors about a green sports car concept from BMW started appearing just the other day. Now, thanks to the German automotive journal Auto Motor Und Sport, we can reveal a few more details about the upcoming concept. The German Magazine reported that it will be called the M1 Hybrid Concept and that it will feature a hybrid drive train technology and will have the same dimensions as a 3-Series measuring 14.75 ft long. The exterior design will be inspired by the M1 Homage car of course.
Compared to the M1 Homage car, the new hybrid 2+2 model will be powered by an electric motor mounted at the front axle combined with a small internal combustion engine in the back. This will keep emissions under 100 g/km, and thanks of a low curb weight the BMW will offer the same performance as a Porsche 911.
Stay tuned for even more details!
Who ever said that hybrids had to be boring never envisioned this tuned gas/electric Honda. When it was originally conceived, the new Honda Insight was designed to be an affordable option for ecologically conscious new car owners. However no one said that it had to look boring, and that is exactly what the Japanese tuning house Exclusive Zeus decided to do. They saw the potential in the Insight and developed a customization program for the economical hybrid Honda.
The kit consists of a new front fascia complete with blacked out grill, a set of beefy side skirts, a new vented rear apron and integrated diffuser. The tuned Insight is then finished off with a set of interesting four spoke rims wrapped in some all new low profile tires.
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General Motors announced it will reveal a new Buick crossover vehicle in 2011 that will feature plug-in hybrid technology. Buick announced no name for their crossover, but they announced it will first be launched in 2010 powered by direct-injected gasoline engines, followed in 2011 by the plug-in hybrid model.
The new crossover will be built on the Buick Enclave platform and will be powered by an Ecotec 2.4L direct-injected four-cylinder engine with an optional 3.0L direct-injected V-6, and is expected to deliver 30 mpg.
The Buick plug-in hybrid will use the same manganese-spinel based chemistry and polymer battery cells as the Volt. The 8 kwh battery - containing half the energy of the Volt battery pack - will be packaged in a rectangular-shaped box under the cargo floor.
The lithium-ion battery can be fully recharged in four to five hours by simply connecting the vehicle to any standard 110V household electrical outlet. By recharging rather than refueling, the Buick plug-in hybrid significantly improves fuel economy and reduces petroleum use. In early testing, the plug-in hybrid is capable of electric-only propulsion for more than 10 miles at low speeds.
Press release after the jump.
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The Prius is a very successful model already! But Toyota needs new models if they wanted to complete all the market’s segment! And with the new emission standards hybrid models are a must! So, in 2011 Toyota will add a new hybrid model to their line-up: a hybrid version of the sub-compact Yaris. The new model will be sold in Japan and Europe.
Toyota’s new hybrid-only compact will use the platform and engine of the Yaris compact and will feature a more cost competitive and fuel-efficient hybrid system than that of the Prius. Its greatest competitor will be the next Honda Fit hybrid.
Until now the German sports car builder Porsche had only announced plans for a hybrid powered Panamera to accompany the current Cayenne Hybrid in their green lineup. It appears that the automaker’s intention was to improve the gas mileage of their larger vehicles and improve their Corporate Average Fuel Economy, but there was never any mention about a high performance application, that is until now.
This latest spy shot shows a 911 test mule with a mysterious bulge on the hood wearing an interesting yellow triangle. Could this mean that Porsche is already testing a hybrid powered Carrera in an attempt to reduce emissions and possibly add a few extra ponies? We do not know for sure, but after all, anything is possible. Apparently witnesses reported that the car being tested was very quiet and almost impossible to notice because of the lack of noise, and the guys behind the wheel weren’t too happy to be spotted.
Honda is hard at work preparing the future CR-Z hybrid sports car, so today it was Toyota’s turn to step up to the plate, and they did! The future sombrero wearing Japanese compact will be a sports coupe hybrid model based on the Prius. The new sports car is supposed to be called MR-2 and will debut in the middle of 2012.
The Prius coupe will be shorter than the popular hybrid by about 10 cm and will be powered by the same 1.8L 2ZR-FXE engine and Hybrid Synergy Drive from the 2010 Toyota Prius five door hatchback. The only modification will be that the future MR-2 will be tuned to make a maximum output of 136 HP.
The new model will be a 2-door coupe model with a 2+2 layout accommodating a pair of back seat passengers. Even if the car looks a lot like the future Toyota “AE86” compact FR sports car being produced in conjunction with Subaru, the two models will appeal totally different buyers. Although it looks like the hybrid power plant will be located between the front fenders and send power to the front wheels, it would be nice to see a proper midship runabout return to Toyota’s lineup.
In light of the British car industry’s continued struggle in keeping with the times, it is getting help from an unlikely source. It was recently announced that Toyota, the Japanese auto giant, is set to produce its new Auris hybrid in two UK factories, providing a much-needed boost to an industry that has continued a rapid nosedive since the global economic crisis began.
The two Toyota factories which will be tasked to produce Toyota’s new line of hybrid cars includes the one in Deeside, Wales and the other in Desrbyshire, North England. The former will be tasked to produce the engines for the cars and bring it to the latter location where it will be assembled.
It’s a welcome boost for the guys over at the UK, which has seen its auto industry get crippled by the downtrodden times. Toyota’s announcement that it will be producing the Auris in the country not only helps with the employment line, but also provides proof that the British auto industry is indeed moving forward in shifting its priorities to specializing in green technologies and producing vehicles that fit that bill.
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The Japanese luxury automaker Lexus recently unveiled the HS 250h in Detroit, showing the world the automaker’s fourth hybrid and the most fuel-efficient vehicle in their lineup. The company has just announced that when it does go on sale, it will be available in two different trim levels: standard and premium, with prices ranging from $34,200 to $36,970.
The Lexus HS 250h is powered by the automaker’s first four cylinder gas burning engine, a 2.4 Liter Atkinson-cycle unit that develops a maximum output of 187 HP. The engine is able to achieve extreme efficiency thanks to Toyota’s Variable Valve Timing with intelligence. The VVT-i system allows the combustion/power stroke to be longer than the compression stroke allowing the thermodynamic energy to be more effectively used to produce power.
The production version of the HS 250h will feature four different drive modes: Normal, Power, Eco and EV. Each different mode can help enhance the vehicle’s efficiency by changing the rate that the engine’s throttle opens no matter how hard the accelerator is pressed. Lexus expects that this type of engine control will be good for 35 MPG in the city and 34 MPG while cruising at highway speeds.
Press release after the jump.
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