Audi Hybrid – 23 Years Later

It still remains a largely unknown fact to many that Audi is one of the pioneers of hybrid technology. In 1989 they presented its first hybrid car based on the Audi 100 Avant. It had a 13BHP Siemens electric motor driving the rear wheels and a conventional 2.3-litre 5-cyl engine driving the front wheels. They seemed to be quite serious about the hybrid Audi 20 years back. Apparently, the only reason why it never made to the production line was the fact that a hybrid Audi had a lower fuel-efficiency than a normal Audi 100 because the electric components were too heavy.

in 2008 we were expecting the Q7 Hybrid to appear on the roads but for some reason it never happened.

Fast forward to 2012 and it looks like they’ve finally made it. Audi A8 Hybrid is now officially confirmed for production.

And that is a clever move. Can you see what Audi is trying to achieve here? So far the majority of green vehicles available for sale are either small or ugly (or both). By offering a large and beautiful hybrid car, they might soon find themselves in a winning position.

The Audi A8 Hybrid features a parallel hybrid drive powered by a 210BHP 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 40kW electric motor.

Despite the rather small engine for such a big car, its performance promises to be high-class – top speed of 146mph and acceleration to 60mph in just 7.7 seconds will soon make you forget that you’re driving a green car. It is expected that the A8 Hybrid will manage 44.1mpg.

It is a very efficient car, partly thanks to its lightweight aluminium body weighing only a bit over 500lb.

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3. Audi Urban Concept Excites Imagination
4. Volkswagen Nils vs Audi Urban Concept
5. Audi A1 Sportback – Take it Personal