sharne
01-03-2009, 06:48 AM
Honda one of the hybrid pioneers, wants to put pressure on Toyota by launching a series of new hybrids, including a distinct model with a remarkable resemblance to the Prius, which will be sold at a lower price than the hybrid market leader.
It has revived the name Insight from its first hybrid car for this new model, which has been known hitherto as 'the affordable family hybrid'. Insight is the first of a four model Honda hybrid range that will include a sports coupe based on the CRZ concept, a new Civic Hybrid and a Jazz Hybrid.
Volkswagen also has a new kind of hybrid Golf, which it calls Twin Drive. This is basically an electric car, which will be plugged into the mains to charge its batteries but engages a combustion engine at speeds above 30mph - and can use both forms of motive power separately or together.
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The boost mode where electric power is added to engine's output is like the Prius but the Twin Drive is a simpler hybrid system, which manages without the Toyota's epicyclic drive train and has only a single-speed transmission. In other words, it is a half-way house between the Prius a nd the forthcoming Chevrolet Volt which uses the engine simply as a range extender, to charge the batteries. VW chairman Martin Winterkorn is concerned about the safety and durability of lithium-ion batteries, used by the Golf Twin Drive and GM's Volt. "We need to be sure it is really safe so I can't tell you when the Twin Drive will go into production.
It has revived the name Insight from its first hybrid car for this new model, which has been known hitherto as 'the affordable family hybrid'. Insight is the first of a four model Honda hybrid range that will include a sports coupe based on the CRZ concept, a new Civic Hybrid and a Jazz Hybrid.
Volkswagen also has a new kind of hybrid Golf, which it calls Twin Drive. This is basically an electric car, which will be plugged into the mains to charge its batteries but engages a combustion engine at speeds above 30mph - and can use both forms of motive power separately or together.
421
The boost mode where electric power is added to engine's output is like the Prius but the Twin Drive is a simpler hybrid system, which manages without the Toyota's epicyclic drive train and has only a single-speed transmission. In other words, it is a half-way house between the Prius a nd the forthcoming Chevrolet Volt which uses the engine simply as a range extender, to charge the batteries. VW chairman Martin Winterkorn is concerned about the safety and durability of lithium-ion batteries, used by the Golf Twin Drive and GM's Volt. "We need to be sure it is really safe so I can't tell you when the Twin Drive will go into production.