ACWay

Japanese carmaker Nissan and its luxury division, Infiniti might not be leading the pack or really be lagging behind competition in coming out with hybrid vehicles but it doesn’t stop them from launching new gasoline-electric cars. The 2010 Geneva Motor Show will play host to the Infiniti M35 Hybrid which is a new version of the 2011 model of their M sedan.

The M35 Hybrid is expected to go on sale by 2011 coming in as a 2012 model. The green car from Infiniti is fitted with a V-6 engine under its hood that is combined with an electric motor capable of giving out 68 horsepower supplied by lithium ion batteries. The hybrid system will be coupled with a 7-speed transmission in automatic configuration.

The new Infiniti hybrid utilizes two clutches. One is placed between the V-6 3.5L and the electric motor which permits decoupling of the naturally aspirated powerplant when in power regeneration and electric mode. The decoupling is done to lower the mechanical drag and boost the efficiency of the motor. The other clutch links the electric motor to the car’s drivetrain.

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