Motortrend
Volkswagen is working on a plug-in hybrid version of the Golf/Rabbit, named Twin Drive, for introduction in 2011. A basic proof-of-concept version using a diesel engine is currently testing, in a 20-car fleet, in Berlin. But at the Golf 6 launch, VW engineers said the production version will be gasoline-powered because emission controls will soon get too expensive for a hybrid. The Golf Twin Drive’s electric-only range is targeted at 30 miles.
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There is no conventional transmission in the Twin Drive, however, its absence helping to offset the weight of the electric motor. The single-gear ratio is equivalent to the top gear in a normal car. So the electric motor is needed to supply the low-end torque to get the car rolling to about 30 mph, when the combustion engine is clutched in and starts. The electric assist then rapidly fades, but is re-energized for acceleration boost.
There’s 40 hp of regeneration braking. Reversing is electric-only. An “e-mode” button can be pressed in ZEV-only areas, which inhibits the gas engine completely.
