Lexus NX Brings Turbo And Hybrid Drivetrains

After my time with the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid, I am convinced that a fun and efficiency hybrid experience is possible, and it’s given me a lot to look forward to. One car I’ve been keeping an eye on is actually a crossover, the 2015 Lexus NX, which comes to North America with your choice of a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine, or a hybrid drivetrain with a sporty side.

Based on an all-new engine architecture, the 2.0 liter turbocharged engine has been designed to switch between the more efficient Atkinson cycle and the more powerful Otto cycle using a new valve control system. While Lexus isn’t ready to discuss MPG numbers on either drivetrain, their goal is deliver a driving experience that balances efficiency with fun driving dynamics, which extends to the new six-speed automatic transmission as well. Engineers have also cleaned the engine’s interior operating functions to the point where oil changes are only necessary every 10,000 miles. Lexus rates the 2.0 liter turbo at 235 horsepower and 258 ft-lbs of torque, which puts it in the middle of the pack in terms of power.

The Lexus NX 300h, meanwhile, gets a unique hybrid drivetrain with a battery pack split in two for better weight distribution and a transmission “kickdown” feature thanks to an electric motor generator and electric drive motor. This delivers sportier performance from the 2.5 liter Atkinson cycle engine and electric motor combination than you’d normally see in a hybrid. The new Lexus NX even measures G-forces, adjusting engine speed and gear selection to your acceleration, not the kind of feature you expect to find on a hybrid.

With the NX, Lexus gets what I’ve been saying all this time; hybrids don’t have to be boring or slow or stale. If automakers can manage to blend efficiency and fun in a quality vehicle, they’ll have no problem selling a ton of them. Now what I want is to see a drag race between the turbo and hybrid models and see which one comes out on top.

Source: Gas 2.

Next-Gen Chevy Volt Could Get 3-Cylinder Turbo

Chevy Volt sales have picked up a moderate amount of steam in 2013, and the recent $5,000 price cut is sure to bring in even more buyers for the plug-in hybrid. There’s still plenty of room for improvement though, like replacing the 1.4 liter generator that charges the Volt’s batteries. That engine could be replaced by a fresh 1.0 liter, three-cylinder turbo that GM just debuted.

The engine will debut in the Opel Adam, a micro-car rival that had an all-electric version until it was nixed late last year. The three-cylinder turbo engine is expected to replace the 1.6 liter four-cylinder currently found in the adam, while making as much power. The three-banger will deliver at least 115 horsepower and 122 ft-lbs of torque, less than the 123 horsepowe rand 148 ft-lbs of torque found in the 1.0 liter Ford EcoBoost engine. Previously the Adam’s most powerful engine only made 87 horsepower though, so this is a big improvement.

But unlike the Ford motor, GM likely has other aspirations for the 1.0 liter three-cylinder, including powering the Chevy Volt. Made entirely from aluminum and said to be 20% more efficient than the engines that it replaces, this new motor could push the Volt’s fuel economy well into the 40s.

If The Volt achieves the 20% efficiency achievement GM CEO Dan Akerson is pushing for, that would put it right around 42 or 43 mpg when the battery is drained. Should GM chop another $5,000 off of the asking price, and ups the fuel economy and all-electric range, the Volt will be even more attractive to buyers.

The battle of the three-bangers is warming up; which automaker will fire the next round in this war of the little engines?

Source: Opel