September 21, 2012

Audi testing A1 e-tron Dual-Mode Hybrid concept [w/video]




Small car, many motors.

Audi, which has been testing its A1 e-tron extended-range plug-in around Munich, has started doing the same with a version that has a conventional engine and two electric motors.

Audi's Dual-Mode Hybrid A1 e-tron concept car has multiple drivetrain modes that let the plug-in hbyrid's 1.5-liter TFSI internal combustion engine like both a conventional engine and an on-board generator, depending on the car's speed and other conditions. The engine can also be disengaged from the drivetrain by a claw clutch when needed. This is usually when the car is operating in electric mode, up to speeds of 34 miles per hour. Then there's serial mode, where "the combustion engine and the alternator ... produce electrical energy to support, relieve or substitute the battery should it be discharged."