Jaguar XJ_e Plug-in Hybrid
With its recent release into the auto world, the Jaguar XJ_e
plug-in hybrid is already an award-winning vehicle. It was the
recipient of two awards for the Royal Auto Club (RAC) Future
Car Challenge. It was also entered into the UK's 2012 CENEX
Low Carbon Vehicle Event and the Goodwind Festival of Speed.
And it was also a part of the initiative to move the automotive
industry a large step forward in terms of fuel efficiency and
environmental awareness. In the recent RAC appearance on November
3rd, the car managed to clock an impressive 112 miles to the
gallon over a sixty-three mile course in England.
The RAC identified the Jaguar as the Most Energy Efficient
Luxury Car Prototype. Its Technical Panel granted the car an
Award of Merit. When running strictly on electricity, the range
is approximately 25 miles. The highest speed that it will achieve
is 75 miles per hour on electricity alone.
That speed doubles to 150 mph when the car is running on gasoline.
In addition, Jaguar Land Rover has made significant progress
with the fuel exhaust amount, reducing it by seventy percent.
They have replaced the more traditional five liter V8 engine
with a combination two liter turbocharged engine, a 69 kW electric
motor, and a 12.3 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Because the Jaguar XJ_e plug-in hybrid is so fuel-efficient
and environmentally friendly, England's government is one of
Jaguar Land Rover's contributors on the project. It falls into
a larger project within the company that goes by the name of
XJ_e.
There is much research being performed on ways to improve the
industry in relation to the environment. Because it is a parallel
hybrid, it can operate on electric charge, gasoline, or the
two together. The car gets a little over sixty miles per gallon
when it is running on electricity, but it is capable of running
on a combination of electricity and fuel as well as on one or
the other.
The challenge in developing a car such as the Jaguar XJ_e was
finding a balance between maintaining consumer appeal and improving
environmental efficiency. This model was presented as the product
of research and experimentation by Jaguar Land Rover in conjunction
with the U K government. The RAC event was the first time that
the manufacturers were able to truly test the limits of the
vehicle.
Prior estimates were based on calculations rather than actual
performance with the reality exceeding the expectations. While
it was estimated that the car would have an approximate mile
per gallon figure of about eighty-seven, it was able to reach
an exciting 112 mpg. The key to this feat seems to be attributed
in part to its parallel plug-in hybrid system.
Other perks of this prototype include a gas pedal that will
take the car from full stop to 62 mph in approximately 6.5 seconds.
The electric half of the engine system can be charged in about
four hours, and a tank of gas will last for a little less than
seven hundred miles. This Jaguar XJ_e plug-in hybrid is one
in a line of advancements toward a greener automotive industry.
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