Driven: 2008 Audi Q7 3.6 Hybrid Prototype

There’s no doubt that hybrid electric drives are an important part of the American automotive market. Though diesel technologies now encompass more than 50% of the European car market and are expected to grow in popularity here in the USA as new models become available, there’s no denying that hybrids are well entrenched as the frontrunner in green technologies in this market. Audi knows this, and is moving to make its own production hybrid models available. In fact, the company is so close in development that they’ve allowed a limited number of press to sample an early prototype fitted to a Q7 3.6 – the same car we were able to drive just last week in San Francisco, California.
Driven: 2008 Audi Q7 3.6 Hybrid Prototype　（10月24日/Fourtitude）

あら意外。。。
ディーゼルハイブリッドではないんですね。
3.6FSIとニッケル水素バッテリを積んで、エンジンとギアボックスの間に置かれた電気モーターを回す仕組み。
ハイブリッドではない Q7 3.6と比べて23%効率的で、Q7 3.0TDIと比べて1mpg低いだけの24mpg(mile per gallon)(約10.2km/L)という燃費性能。
で、なんでディーゼルハイブリッドにしないのか。
A4 3.0TDIをハイブリッド化すると、お値段はなんとS4を上回りRS4に近いものになるからだそうな。(汗)
そんなに高ければ意味ないなぁ。