Hybrid Car Review

Nissan's new hybrid system will be better than Toyotas.  That's a big deal, since Toyota has the most efficient hybrid motor on the road today.

Powered by a lithium-ion battery pack, the newly developed hybrid motor may be the "most efficient 1-motor, 2-clutch parallel full hybrid system."  It's important to keep in mind when comparing to the Toyota hybrid engine is a good part of what makes it the most efficient is its use of lithium-ion battery pack.

In other words, if Toyota makes the switch to lithium-ion, it's unclear who's engine would be the more efficient one.

According to Nissan:

The Nissan Hybrid System

Nissan Hybrid Engine

The hybrid system allows for the elimination of friction by completely disconnecting the engine from the system during motor driving or deceleration. It is highly energy-efficient because the battery is charged efficiently by the engine while driving, while the rotational energy of the wheels is used for energy regeneration. When the clutch is engaged, the engine, motor and wheels are directly connected, so the system also achieves responsive acceleration for sporty driving. In addition, accurate control allows the engine to be stopped more frequently. During test demonstrations conducted in city conditions, it was found that the engine was in a halt condition for almost 50% of the driving time.

The motor is powered by a laminated lithium-ion battery featuring the same structure as the one used on LEAF, Nissan's electric vehicle. The powerful lithium-ion batteries are used to deliver high-response linear acceleration and fuel consumption equivalent to that of compact cars. The batteries are supplied by Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC), a subsidiary jointly established by Nissan and NEC Corp. of Japan.

The hybrid system is scheduled to be available on the Infiniti M in late 2010.