VW Tests Diesel Hybrid Concept for N. America

Volkswagen AG is using the Detroit auto show to gauge North American interest in a six-passenger hybrid crossover that teams a diesel engine and two electric motors.

Dubbed the CrossBlue, the wagonlike vehicle would be fit into VW's crossover lineup above the small Tiguan and midsize Touareg. VW estimates the 302-hp hybrid powertrain would be rated at 89 miles per gallon equivalent in the U.S. and would deliver 35 mpg on the highway in diesel-only mode.

The road-ready concept includes an eight-module, 9.8-kWh lithium-ion battery and two electric motors: a 40-kW unit for the front wheels and an 85-kW unit for the rears. The system is the same one VW showed previously in its Tiguan-size Cross Coupe concept. Both concepts ride on the company's flexible MQB platform.

In the CrossBlue, the electric portion of the powertrain provides a range of 14 miles and a top speed of 75 mph. Coupled with the turbodiesel engine, which delivers 295 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, the system can propel the crossover from zero to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 127 mph.

In all-electric mode, the rear electric motor alone provides propulsion. The driver can manually switch to a recharging mode that uses the diesel engine to replenish the vehicle's battery. Both electric motors also act as generators when the driver releases the accelerator or applies the brakes.