Green Drive: Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

The new Volkswagen Touareg has been an outstanding success since its launch last year, and its appeal has now been enhanced with the introduction of the new Hybrid model.

When the Touareg Hybrid’s V6 TSI engine and E-motor work simultaneously (boosting), a total power of up to 380 bhp is generated with a maximum torque of 580 Newton-metres. Yet, the vehicle sets standards among fully off2road capable SUVs with petrol engines with a fuel consumption value of just 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres. CO2 emissions are equally low: 193 g/km.

The Touareg Hybrid can also be driven up to 50 km/h in purely electric mode − emissions free. The Hybrid drive combines the power of a classic eight cylinder engine with the fuel economy of a six or four2cylinder engine. Performance is extremely strong: The Touareg Hybrid reaches a top speed of 240 km/h and accelerates to 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds.

The drive unit of the Touareg Hybrid primarily consists of a supercharged V6 TSI (direct2injection petrol engine with 333 bhp), an 8speed automatic transmission customised for hybrid, towing vehicle and off road use, including torque converter, final drive units and centre differential, as well as the Hybrid Module integrated between the internal combustion engine and automatic transmission.

This module – the ‘heart of the hybrid’ – contains an E-motor (34.3 kW /46 bhp) and a disengagement clutch. The Hybrid Module has a diameter of 400 millimetres, is only 145 millimetres long and weighs just 55 kilograms.

The drive energy for the E2motor is stored in a Nickel Metal2Hydride (Ni-MH) battery at the rear of the Touareg in the spare wheel recess. With its nominal voltage of 288 V, the battery has an energy capacity of 1.7 kilowatt2hours (kWh) and a peak output power of 38 kW. The energy stored in the battery is sufficient to drive the Touareg over a distance of about two kilometres and up to a speed of 50 km/h in pure electric mode.

Ensuring that the Touareg Hybrid can also satisfy all convenience and
safety2related functions in pure E2mode too, various components had to
be fully re2developed. There is electro-hydraulic power steering, for
example, which does not rely on the servo pump driven by the internal
combustion engine. Instead, in this case an electric servo pump supplies the necessary hydraulic pressure.

An auxiliary electric vacuum pump that is used during electric driving guarantees that the vacuum supply required by the brake booster is maintained. In addition, an electric high2voltage air conditioning compressor in the Touareg Hybrid assures pleasant interior temperatures even when the V6 engine is shut off.

Compared to a conventional SUV of the same size and power, the hybrid
concept delivers fuel savings of up to 25 percent in city driving. In combined mode driving – a mix of city, highway and motorway drive - development engineers calculate an average savings of 17 percent.

Credits: wilswong