Volkswagen C Coupé GTE powertrain analysis

 

    At the ongoing Shanghai International Auto Show, Volkswagen Group released the C Coupé GTE concept car for the first time in the world, which represents a new design approach for Volkswagen's future premium sedans. The four-door C Coupé GTE concept car is specially prepared for the Chinese market. It is over 5 meters long and is driven by a plug-in hybrid system. The combined system torque of the engine and electric motor reaches 500 Nm.

    In pure electric mode, the front-wheel drive C Coupé GTE concept car can reach a maximum speed of 130 km/h and can achieve zero pollutant emissions (only considering the vehicle phase, excluding the power generation phase), and the cruising range is 50 kilometers. According to the new European driving cycle test for plug-in hybrid system models, the C Coupé GTE concept car has a comprehensive fuel consumption of 2.3 liters per 100 kilometers and carbon dioxide emissions of 55 grams per kilometer. With a fully charged battery pack and a full tank of fuel, the vehicle's total cruising range can exceed 800 kilometers, and even 1,100 kilometers under extreme conditions.

    In addition to its excellent fuel efficiency, the C Coupé GTE concept car is also a sporty car, with an acceleration time of 8.6 seconds from rest to 100 km/h and a maximum speed of 232 km/h. The plug-in hybrid system of the C Coupé GTE concept car includes a turbocharged direct injection (TSI) four-cylinder gasoline engine, an 8-speed automatic transmission, an electric motor integrated into the transmission module, and a lithium-ion battery pack. The maximum output power of the TSI engine is 155 kW, and the electric motor can provide 91 kW of power. The total output power of the entire hybrid system is 180 kW and the maximum torque is 500 Nm. The battery pack is installed at the rear of the vehicle and can be charged whether the vehicle is in motion or parked.

 

    The C Coupé GTE concept car has four control modes for the driver to choose from: "Hybrid", "Electric", "GTE" and "Charge/Energy Saving". The vehicle defaults to hybrid mode when it starts. As a full hybrid model, the C Coupé GTE concept car can use the energy recovered by braking to charge the battery pack, and can automatically adopt the most suitable combination of engine and electric motor according to the specific driving conditions. Once the driver releases the accelerator pedal, if the battery pack is fully charged, all drive sources stop working and are separated from the transmission system. The vehicle will start to coast in a special way, at this time, zero tailpipe emissions will be achieved. If the battery pack is not fully charged during the vehicle deceleration process, the electric motor will start to work as a generator, continuously transferring the energy recovered by braking to the battery pack; during this process, the engine will not run and will still be separated from the transmission system.

    The driver activates the electric mode by pressing a button, and only the electric motor provides the driving force. In pure electric mode, the engine and clutch are separated from each other, and the engine is always in the off state. The lithium-ion battery pack supplies energy to the electric motor. When the battery pack's energy is almost exhausted, the gasoline engine has to be used again. After only a few tenths of a second, the engine can be combined with the clutch very smoothly. The power electronics integrated in the engine compartment control the flow direction of high voltage between the battery pack and the electric motor, and provide the required power to the 12-volt on-board electrical system through the DC/DC converter.

 

    The GTE mode button is located on the left side of the gear lever (the electric mode button is also in a similar position). When this mode is activated, the C Coupé GTE concept car will show special driving dynamic characteristics. The response of the accelerator pedal, gearbox and steering system is more sporty; in addition, during full acceleration, the engine and electric motor will work simultaneously to provide the strongest system power and torque.

    The battery pack energy is always kept constant / charging mode is activated using a submenu in the infotainment system. In combination with the electric mode, zero tailpipe emissions can be achieved in urban conditions.