2011 NAIAS: Audi A6 Hybrid

Joining the Audi A6 in the German automaker’s booth at this year’s NAIAS event in Detroit is the hybrid version of the model, a car that will enter series production at a later point. The second hybrid model in Audi’s line-up after the Q5 hybrid quattro, the A6 Hybrid employs an electric motor that sits directly behind the TFSI. The modified 8-speed tiptronic transmission sends the power to the front wheels.

The combustion engine, a 155 kW (211 hp) 2.0 TFSI, works together with an electric motor that delivers 33 kW (45 hp) and 211 Nm (155.63 lb-ft) of torque.

A light, compact lithium-ion battery that provides 1.3 kWh of nominal power and generates 39 kW is housed in a crash-protected area of the luggage compartment.

“Depending on requirements, it is air-cooled in two ways – by means of a blower from the interior or by means of an internal refrigerant circuit coupled to the automatic air conditioning system,” the company says. “This technology largely maintains the rechargeable battery within the appropriate temperature range, thereby ensuring that the vehicle operates on electric power a comparatively large percentage of the time.”

According to the automaker, the Audi A6 Hybrid can achieve speeds of up to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) solely on electricity. In addition to that, at a constant speed of 60 km/h (37.28 mph), it has a range of 3 km.

The Audi A6 hybrid provides the power of a V6, combined with the fuel efficiency of a four-cylinder engine. It accelerates in 7.3 seconds from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph), top speed is 238 km/h (147.89 mph) and the average fuel consumption is 6.2 liters per 100 km (37.94 US mpg), a CO2 emissions level of 142 grams per km (228.53 g/mile). However, performance and fuel consumption figures are provisional for the moment.