It wasn’t too long ago when German manufacturers like Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, et. al. were dismissing any idea of offering hybrid electric vehicles. They laughed and called them a “fad.”Well, guess what? It seems that the German auto makers are now on the hybrid bandwagon.
Volkswagen is showcasing the L1 concept car at the auto shows. It features a carbon-fiber body and VW claims that it achieves 170 miles per gallon. A direct injection 0.8 liter, 2-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine and a 13 horsepower electric motor run it.
Mercedes-Benz has been touting its Vision S500 plug-in hybrid concept which is supposed to get 74 miles per gallon and reach 60 miles an hour in 5.5 seconds. The car includes a gasoline V-6 engine with direct fuel injection, a 60 horsepower electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. It is also featuring two hybrids that will be introduced into the U.S. market during the 2010 model year. They are the S400 hybrid sedan and the ML450 hybrid CUV. Referred to as a mild hybrid, the S400 includes a 20 horsepower electric motor and a 275 horsepower, 3.5 liter gasoline V-6 engine. Mercedes claims that it has a fuel economy rating of 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. That’s supposed to be 26 percent better than the V-8 S550 sedan. The ML450 is a full hybrid that uses technology co-developed by General Motors, BMW and Daimler. It has a 3.5 liter gasoline V-6 engine and two magneto-electric motors. Mercedes claims that it can achieve 30 percent more fuel economy than the V-8 powered ML550.
BMW’s stable of hybrid electric vehicles include the X6 and the ActiveHybrid 7-Series. The company asserts that the X6 is “the world’s fastest all-wheel drive hybrid.” It features a twin-turbocharged V-8 engine and two electric motors. It is supposed to be 20 percent more fuel efficient than the X6. The ActiveHybrid 7-Series is said to be the first car in the world to combine a V-8 gasoline engine, an 8-speed automatic transmission and an electric motor. It is also referred to as a “Mild Hybrid” with the electric motor serving like a “electric turbo.” BMW claims that the acceleration of the car is better than that of the 750i powered by a standard V-8 engine. It also offers 15 percent better fuel economy than the 750i.
The German auto makers continue to rely on the diesel to provide the fuel economy that U.S. drivers are now expecting. For example, VW’s Jetta Sportswagen TDI is a diesel as is a version of the Audi Q7 and A3.
via Wards Auto
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