Volkswagen to reveal new diesel variant of Cross Coupé Concept PHEV; 131 mpg US

Volkswagen will bring to Geneva a new diesel-engined variant of its Cross Coupé Concept plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, first introduced with a gasoline engine at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 (earlier post). The new Cross Coupé Concept is powered by a combination of a turbodiesel direct-injection engine (TDI) and two electric motors; combined fuel consumption in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) is 1.8 l/100 km (131 mpg US), equivalent to CO₂ emissions of 46 g/km.

Cross Coupé Concept. Click to enlarge.

The concept SUV features a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph); 225 kW / 302 hp of power (system power) and a curb weight of 1,858 kg. Volkswagen is presenting the concept with a TDI plug-in hybrid in a world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show.

The Cross Coupé Concept is based on Volkswagen’s new modular transverse matrix (MQB) platform.

Source: Green Car Congress

Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II is the 2013 Outlander in mild disguise

If Mitsubishi is serious about its electrification efforts, it has to offer more than the pint-sized all-electric i in the States. That's where the Concept PX-MiEV II comes in.

What you're looking at is the plug-in hybrid version of the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander, something Mitsubishi confirms is set to go on sale sometime in 2012.

A traditional 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is mounted up front, but each rear axle has an electric motor that's fed power by a lithium-ion battery pack spanning the floor. Mitsubishi claims the MX-MiEV II can run up to 31 miles on electric power alone, and if you mash the gas the system switches to parallel hybrid mode by engaging the engine. All told, you should be able to make it up to 500 miles on a single tank, but if you're commute is less than 15 miles, you could go gas-free for months.



Source: Autoblog Green

GM considering a plug-in Chevy Cruze

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco is rated at 42 mpg on the highway, but new reports suggest that we may soon find out just how many MPGe a plug-in version would get.

Australia's Go Auto spoke with GM's Jim Federico, who said that a PHEV Cruze is indeed in the cards. Astute readers will note that PHEV is not a typo here. Federico said:

The Volt will always be a plug-in electric vehicle. Plug-in Cruze doesn't make Volt redundant at all. Plug-in Cruze would have a different powertrain. Plug-in hybrids use both the engine and motor all the time. The plug-in Cruze has a place and it will be a hybrid.

For most drivers, this is a distinction without a difference, but remember that there was this, this and, finally, this. That GM is looking to expand its line-up of electrified vehicles is no surprise. In fact, that's always been the plan. A plug-in Cruze makes a sort of sense, since the Volt powertrain was tested in Cruze mules. Perhaps the Volt was more of a learning project than we originally suspected. Whether a PHEV Cruze is something GM is only considering for Australia or for other markets will, we're sure, be the subject of much speculation in the future.



Source: Autoblog Green