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| 2014Hybrid.Com |
For the first time in the U.S. market, Audi will launch a hybrid model. The vehicle to receive the honor is an addition to its popular 2014 Q5 SUV line, and is called the 2.0 TFSI hybrid Prestige. This car with quattro all-wheel-drive will take its place alongside gas-powered siblings.
So, what kind of motive power does the 2014 Audi’s premier Q5 model get? It’s a full parallel hybrid based around a 2.0-liter TFSI engine which itself delivers 211 horsepower and 258.15 pounds-feet torque. Adding to the power is an electric motor rated at 54 horsepower and 154.89 pounds-feet torque.
Total system power is rated at 245 horsepower and 354.03 pounds-feet promising acceleration to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds.
The electric motor is powered by a 266-volt, 72-cell lithium-ion battery pack which Audi’s engineers were gratified to report did not need to occupy trunk volume to house, and otherwise do not sacrifice usable space in the vehicle.
Fuel economy is 26 mpg combined according to the EPA cycle, and the power output from the four-cylinder plus electric motor is enough to make a driver not miss the V6 turbo that is also available.
Audi, as is typical for other German brands venturing into the hybrid space, has skewed the car towards performance to keep the fun quotient high, if not also costing it ultimate fuel-sipper status.
The 2014 Audi Q5 quattro hybrid uses an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission in conjunction with the all-wheel-drive system. The driver has three drive modes to select from mild to wild via a button and with the Tiptronic shift paddle.
EV mode allows part time all-electric drive depending on circumstances, D-mode controls the internal combustion engine and the electric motor combined, and S-mode is for sporty driving and the manual shift gate of the Tiptronic work to this end.
The car’s generator as well as regenerative braking are set to keep the battery pack charged.