Audi Q7 SUV Hybrid Concept

Audi Q7 SUV Hybrid Concept

An engineering first in Frankfurt where Audi is premiering its first hybrid vehicle powered by an FSI direct-injection petrol engine. The Audi Q7 hybrid concept study is equipped with a 4.2-litre FSI V8 drive unit developing 257 kW (350 bhp) and 440 Newton metres of torque. An electric motor that has also been integrated into the driveline adds up to an extra 200 Nm of torque. The study is making its debut at the 2005 International Motor Show in Frankfurt.

The Q7 hybrid concept which married a 4.2-liter V-8 with an electric motor that adds another 148 lb-ft (to make a whopping 473 lb ft). In typically German fashion, this makes the hybrid even faster, trimming the 0-to-62-mph time from 7.4 to 6.8 seconds. Fuel consumption is said to be fifteen-percent better. Top Audi officials insist that this vehicle will make it to production in 2008, but the company engineers we've spoken with think that the powertrain will be too costly; diesels are cheaper and just as efficient.

Besides the hybrid technology, one of the most environmentally friendly features of the Audi Q7 Hybrid is a set of solar panels embedded into its "Open Sky" sunroof. The solar panels provide power for the air conditioning system, so that when it's hottest outside, the sun's energy can be converted into a very cool inside. The air conditioning system on the Q7 hybrid has been switched over from hydraulic to electrical operation.