You know how we love
plug-in hybrids around these parts, particularly if they're actually going to get built -- crazy, we know. Now it looks like
Volkswagen is going to get into the game, with a "Twin Drive" Golf powered by a 122 horsepower diesel engine and 82 horsies of electric motor. The car should debut around 2010, and VW plans on spending $769 million on the project, helped along by a $23.5 million program put in place by the German government to help along such development.
The car, which uses the electric motor for primary power, supplemented by the diesel motor and regenerative braking for extra juice, should be able to squeeze about 31 miles out of its Sanyo-developed lithium-ion batteries in all-electric mode. [Source:
Wired]
Tags: diesel, golf, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, Plug-inHybrid, volkswagen
Comments
2
Subscribe to commentsCraziestGadgets.comJun 27th 2008 11:21AM
Sounds good but they should really think of updating the styling a bit...it's bordering on dated- especially with a 2010 release date.
KoKoJul 8th 2008 5:36PM
If the 87 hp electric motor will provide the primary power for most driving, why does the diesel engine have 122 HP? That seems like about five times too much power (and weight, and inefficiency, and cost, etc.) If its a true plug-in hybrid, it should hardly use the diesel at all.
Diesel is nice, because it allows an easy shift to biodiesel. Now if the power companies would only shift away from fossil fuels for generating electricity.
@Craziest, the body is an issue, but not because the styling is dated. Newer materials and designs would allow the car to be lighter and more efficient. Both are important for fuel economy, and both are relatively cheap to achieve.