Audi unveils production version of A8 Hybrid

I'm not quite sure you are arguing with me. The LS hybrid handles worse than than the regular LS. Its something lexus can fix, but like I said it will take a lot of money. If someone wants to be green the over $100k and 21mpg doesn't sound any better than the porsche slightly slower but better handling much less expensive 21mpg. Before you start arguing that isn't the choice, the big 3 Luxury flagships have been losing market share to the porsche.

Yes that was my point. I probably stupidly got into specifics because of the telmo question about the higher power in the LS.

 

Power/weight/efficiency are the keys to a generator. Torque has nothing to do with it unless it is a parellel/serial hybrid and then torque needs to be accounted for in the transmission. Rotaries are lighter and in volume less expensive to produce, but less efficient. Keeping the rotary in the efficient range should help. The reason for using a rotary is that you will not be carrying the extra weight on electric miles. If most miles are electric it may be worth the efficiency hit to drop the cost and weight. They are tradeoffs. The volt's engine was not optimally designed, so a rotary properly designed may be more efficient, but a atkinson engine or small diesel generator would win that battle.

Yep that's the key. How about a leaf with a small range extending rotary? One problem is political, CARB punishes an EV if it has a range extender.

 

Does that market decrease share to the Porsche brand point to a handling problem? If that were the issue, BMW was not losing also. Period.

And probably that happened even before Panamera was launched!

 

This gets 6.4l/100lm on the EU cycle, & the first gen Camry Hybrid gets 6.0l/100km on the Aus cycle (identical to EU), therefore this should get roughly the same economy as the Camry Hybrid on the US cycle.

I think luxury hybrids are smart, because the market is far, far less price sensitive. In Australia there are more efficient diesels available for $10,000 less than a base Prius, yet in the luxury market where these cars are $150,000 plus, the $5, 10 or 15,000 extra charged for a hybrid is far less noticeable and easier to justify. I'd also personally prefer a quieter petrol motor than a diesel in a luxury car. People buying these cars are also probably less worried about the potential battery replacement costs.

Remember when it was only the top model Mercs, BMWs, Audis etc had Satellite Naviagtion, and now $20,000 cars have it? I think the same will happen with Hybrids in luxury ranges.

 

There aren't diesels more efficient than Prius, with the same car size.
Efficiency is calculated over energy absorption vs output. CO2 emissions reflect that more.
MPG is referred to a fuel volume, where there is much difference in petrol vs diesel energy densities.

 

*i meant as in fuel usage, per 100km, not the more technical side of efficiency.

 

Obviously MPG counts, because the fuel is paid by volume at the pump.
European Union has focused on that, and sooner or later, tax will "re-level" that a bit...

 

The fact is there is still no major market for a hybrid, because governments haven't pushed for it. Except for China, maybe. China is the only country where the government has committed to hybrids and electric-powered cars. Mainly to reduce emissions.

In America, Obama campaigned for major changes in energy policy. He was even given a Nobel prize for anticipated changes. He still has time to earn that prize in his 2nd term, but so far he hasn't shown much leadership initiative--fumbling badly trying to get Congress to do his work on energy policy.

 

Just some facts on the A8 Hybrid:

A new 245-horsepower gasoline-electric hybrid edition of Audi's A8 flagship sedan is on the way in 2012 but will make brief detour at Frankfurt.

Equipped with an electric motor and a four-cylinder gas engine, the A8 Hybrid returns an average 37 mpg.

The A8 Hybrid can accelerate from zero to 60 in 7.7 seconds, and can reach a top speed of 146 mph.

Audi Reveals 2013 A8 Hybrid