BMW, Daimler to produce mild hybrids

Going hybrid

BMW and DaimlerChrsyler will co-develop a mild hybrid transmission for rear-wheel-drive cars which will be available within three years, according to Reuters.

Additionally, the two companies will continue their partnership with GM to develop dual mode hybrid vehicles - full hybrid vehicles.

GM is planning to launch the Yukon hybrid and the Escalade hybrid later this year, while DaimlerChrysler is hoping to launch the Durango hybrid and a Mercedes-Benz hybrid soon after GM's hybrid launch.

DaimlerChrysler testing plug-in hybrid vehicles

The Dodge Sprinter is a pretty ugly vehicle, but just as with humans, sometimes it is what is inside that counts. DaimlerChrysler is now testing 20 Dodge Sprinter plug-in hybrid vehicles in the U.S., and a number of these plug-in hybrids are also being tested with lithium-ion batteries to determine "real world driving conditions about lifetime, performance and cost of batteries." Currently, the Dodge Sprinter plug-in can achieve around 20 miles of pure electric power. The Sprinter is also being developed with both diesel and gasoline engines, so it has a future in both Europe and the U.S..

"The future of plug-in hybrid technology rests on a number of improvements, the most significant being batteries," said Dr. Andreas Truckenbrodt, Executive Director, DaimlerChrysler Hybrid Programs. "The battery systems in the PHEV Sprinter continue to provide valuable data on the possibilities with lithium-ion technology."

(Source: Car&Driver)