Subaru DIZIV PHEV Debuts At Geneva

Subaru revealed the VIZIV concept vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show. It is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) comprising a propulsion system powered by a 2.0 liter Subaru Boxer diesel engine equipped with a high-torque-compatible Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT). It is equipped with a front-mounted electric motor that both turns the wheels, and is used to generate electricity during braking. This vehicle has two electric motors in the back which are for driving the vehicle only.

The quantity of electric motors in a vehicle tells you nothing about its performance, the use of multiple motors may just fit into a manufacturer’s particular design more appropriately than one large one. Manufacturers all have their preferred designs. They may use 4 40 kW motors (just a fictitious example), with one at each wheel, two 80 kW (one in the front and the other in the back), or only one 160 kW motor in either the front or back.

The two rear motors control power the rear left and rear right wheels of the vehicles independently and one may be supplied with more power than the other to provide more torque to the outside rear wheel and less to the inside rear wheel when cornering to generate inner-directed yaw momentum on the vehicle and achieve extremely quick and smooth on-the-rail cornering.

The “Hybrid SI-DRIVE” system has an Eco-Cruise mode that provides control in conjunction with the EyeSight driving assistance system. This is in addition to “Intelligent” and “Sports” modes. Engine and motor power are regulatedl according to the travel conditions detected by the EyeSight’s stereo camera.

Source: Green Car Congress