At next month's Tokyo Auto Show, Subaru will unveil what it calls the Hybrid Tourer Concept. The idea with this concept seems to be to explore a new area of the marketplace, somewhere between the Outback and Legacy, but with a serious focus on luxury and sport – like the GT/Sportback/Hatchback models being built by companies like BMW and Audi. Oh… and it also is a hybrid.
In true Subaru fashion, however, the hybrid system is designed to deliver not just performance, but all-wheel drive performance. The Hybrid Tourer Concept comes with a new direct-injection version of the company's 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, but with an electric motor for both the front and the rear wheels.
At low speeds the more powerful rear electric motor moves the car, while under normal operating conditions the gasoline engine is used. The rear electric motor will kick in when added acceleration is needed, and when all-wheel drive grip is necessary, the front electric motor (normally used as a power generator for on-board electrical systems) will also work to deliver power.
The setup also allows for a flat floor inside the car because no driveshaft is required as the rear wheels are powered exclusively by electricity.
Energy for the batteries is stored in a lithium-ion battery pack and a start-stop system is also used to shut off the gasoline engine when idling.
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Tokyo Preview: Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept Uses Green Technology for AWD Performance on AutoGuide.com
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