As if not to be outdone in developing hybrid cars, Volkswagen invites partners from Asia, China specifically, to jointly concocting a hybrid car. Volkswagen took steps BYD, one of the major manufacturers from China, have been the final. Both had entered the memorandum of cooperation between the president director of BYD, Wang Chuanfu and president director of Volkswagen AG, Dr. Martin Winterkorn. BYD name familiar among the manufacturers of electric cars. In 2008, manufacturing was released a hybrid plug-ins that are named F3DM, which is one of three series of products of their electric cars. F3DM has a cruising distance of 100 km for one-time charging the battery (charging). Meanwhile, the midsize sedannya, F6, which uses iron-phosphate batteries can be filled 70% within 10 minutes.
Golf TwinDrive project began in the fifth generation VW Golf. This time, with technological improvements, especially on the battery and charging system, VW Golf menerapkanya the sixth generation. The project, also funded by the German government aims to maximize the function of the available energy in the transport sector. Parties to provide 20 units of Volkswagen VW plug-ins TwinDrive as a pilot project.
A key part of this system lies in the performance of an efficient power train circuit, so the kitchen staff from runway, both E-motor (electrical motors) or a conventional internal combustion engine, can be channeled to the wheels perfectly. Not only that, the layout is also counted among the resources so that mechanical losses (reduction in force due to friction or energy distribution) can be cut.
Rely on electric motors powered 176 hp, Golf TwinDrive use a system where the driver can select the optimal operation mode that are specifically chose a route and situation. The result, an efficient combination of electric motors and machinery konesnvional can be achieved.
Unlike other typical hybrid system in which the electric motor is the complement of motor fuel, "In fact turned, that the motor TwinDrive either gasoline or diesel fuel serves as a supplement to E-Motor," explained Dr. Martin Winterkorn. E-Motor Range TwinDrive working alone can browse the 50 km for urban areas, while motor fuel used for long trips. Unfortunately, the Volkswagen is still keeping this engine type that is embedded in the body of the Twin Drive Golf.
Even so, VW gave a brief overview that for the trip from Potsdam to Berlin and back, as far as 100 km, Golf TwinDrive 8KWh consume electricity (kilowatt-hours) and 2.5 liters of fuel or 40 KPL. This value is more efficient than Toyota Prius claims that records Anyar generation (24.5 MPA) for the engine fuel consumption. With these preliminary results, the VW Golf is optimistic produce TwinDrive in 2010.
Bayu Arya
