Bosch Has Contract for Diesel Hybrid Components
12 June 2007
At a press briefing in Boxberg, Germany describing its various efforts in developing safety, emissions and efficiency technologies, Dr. Bernd Bohr, member of the Bosch board of management and Chairman of the Automotive Group, noted that the company has contracts for both diesel- and gasoline-electric hybrid components.
For the diesel project, Bosch will supply the engine and motor controllers and the electric motor. The company expects the system to be on the road in 2010.
In 2006, PSA Peugeot Citroën introduced a pair of diesel-electric hybrid prototypes that it said may be on the market as early as 2010, depending upon its ability to make the technology available at an affordable price.(Earlier post.) More recently, it said that it is looking at launching a diesel-hybrid version of the new Peugeot 308 by 2010. (The 308 replaces the 307—one of the platforms for the hybrid prototypes unveiled in 2006.)
Mercedes-Benz has also shown a mild-hybrid diesel concept (an S-Class) and has expanded its hybrid development efforts with BMW (both are part of the two-mode development project with GM) to include mild hybrid systems. (Earlier post.)
A diesel hybrid, if affordable, would be the bees-knees.
Especially if it was able to run on battery power for all the slow bits in congested traffic ( like the Stop/start mild hybrids) but say up to 30mph.
Then you really would have the best of both worlds - the e drive for low pollution city driving and the diesel for open road distances.
So lets wait and see what happens - if the next gen Prius is as good as suggested, there might be no need for a diesel hybrid.
Posted by: mahonj | 12 June 2007 at 03:09 PM
Even if the Prius v3 is as good as advertised, a diesel-electric serial hybrid would be great to have for those of us that are 60%+ highway drivers.
Posted by: km519 | 13 June 2007 at 07:50 AM