Volkswagen recently released a new hybrid Touareg crossover SUV, with a V6 TSI gasoline hybrid engine.
While it may be a stretch to say that this vehicle is as green as it could be, the Touareg hybrid achieves approximately 25 and 21 mpg during highway and city driving, respectively. The 3.0-liter, supercharged, direct injection V6 gasoline engine is paired with an electric motor, reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by about 40%. With motors combined, a total of 375 horsepower and 428 lbs.-ft. of torque are available, allowing for full towing capacity of up to 7,700 pounds.
As with many hybrids, the electric motor recovers kinetic energy during braking to help recharge the nickel metal-hydride battery pack (something called regenerative braking). The nickel metal-hydride batteries can pack a punch, but they could be used to deliver further efficiency instead of performance if it were designed that way.
It does start Volkswagen in the direction of going electric, however. A 40% reduction in CO2 is certainly better than no reduction in CO2.
As we stated previously, up until recently Volkswagen has been hesitant about hybrid technology, instead focusing on trying to promote new clean diesels. The company underestimated how popular hybrids became in the U.S., and overestimated the stateside demand for diesels. It seems that many of us Yanks still associate the technology with dirty, cancer-causing fumes of the past and a general lack of filling stations (not helped by higher prices for diesel vs. gas in recent memory).
It’s an exciting time in green cars, and we need to keep the momentum going!
Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/vw-touareg-hybrid-460810#ixzz0x51hHFXH
