Volkswagen's chief designers Walter de Silva and Klaus Bischoff recently showcased a new design theme from VW in the form of the 4 door Cross Coupe concept at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The Cross Coupe is a concept SUV which looks to pave the future design theme for all SUVs brandishing the VW badge. This SUV makes use of Volkswagen's new modular transverse matrix (MQB) platform and is an all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid vehicle.
The 4 seater Cross Coupe uses two electric motors and a TSI engine. VW claims that the SUV can travel upto 40km only on electric power. A seven-speed DSG handles the transmission duties. The combined output of the twin electric motors and the petrol motor stands at 265PS out of which the TSI engine alone makes 150PS while the rest is contributed by the former. The electronic power control module, operating at around 370 volts and integrated into the engine compartment, manages the flow of high-voltage energy to and from the battery and the electric motors. When in motion, the TSI engine as also the brakes replenish the battery pack and when stationary, a 230volt external source. Volkswagen says that since the battery pack is mounted low, the vehicle has the handling of a coupe and the functionality of an SUV, with a drag co-efficient of 0.329.
The Cross Coupe achieves a top speed of 120kmph in electric mode whereas with the petrol motor kicking in, the top speed eclipses 200kmph. On pure electric power, the SUV manages 40km before the petrol engine kicks in. On a litre of crude, the TSI motor manages 36.54km (VW estimates) and this coupled with the 53 litres tank enables it to travel upto 850km(electric range included) before stopping for a refuel.
Will it make to the production lines? Only time can answer this.
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