Apr
21
Looking forward to Fiat Hybrids
April 21, 2008 |
Fiat, the troubled and reviving Italian automaker has seen a turbulent few years in its history during the first half of this decade. However, the Italians are hoping that the success of the small and much commended new Fiat 500 will sustain them through to their next big regeneration scheme - hybrid cars and vans in production by 2011.
The design team at Fiat are concentrating on initially producing city-focused gas hybrid cars with battery power taking up the slack in low speed and stop-start driving environments. More comprehensive hybrid power and more integrated technology looks like it will depend on Fiat’s fortunes between now and the proposed 2011 launch of such models, and beyond.
Fiat’s Powertrain Technologies division is aiming to produce a double clutch system with electric power input being accompanied by a 900cc conventional combustion gas engine. A combination which will have more than enough juice for Fiats small cars such as the 500 and Panda. All of this work ties in with the Italians aim of becoming Europe’s lowest producer, in terms of CO2, by as soon as 2012 - to coincide with new, even more stringent standards on car manufacturers carbon production. This is an ambitious plan but for a company like Fiat, who seem to make a habit of coming back from the brink, maybe anything is possible?
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[…] One Fused Life wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt Fiat, the troubled and reviving Italian automaker has seen a turbulent few years in its history during the first half of this decade. However, the Italians are hoping that the success of the small and much commended new Fiat 500 will sustain them through to their next big regeneration scheme - hybrid cars and vans in production by 2011. The design team at Fiat are concentrating on initially producing city-focused gas hybrid cars with battery power taking up the slack in low speed and stop-st […]