Infiniti confirms first hybrid production

Infiniti has confirmed its first production Hybrid vehicle will form part of the recently announced M range of luxury performance sedans.

To be named the M35 Hybrid, the luxury sedan aims to realise the high performance/low emissions promise of the Essence concept car.

The M35 Hybrid will go on sale in the UK from April 2011 featuring an electric motor/generator coupled to a V6 petrol engine. The M35 Hybrid can run solely on its electric motor in certain driving conditions, furthering fuel efficiency, or can combine both engines to drive the car when heavier acceleration is required.

As the motoring world would expect of Infiniti, several new technologies are introduced such as a new “laminated” lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack that is the same size as conventional batteries but offers twice the power. Lamination enhances the pack’s cooling performance while temperature stability is further improved by the use of manganese positive electrodes. An end result of this is exceptional battery reliability.

Already the new-generation Infiniti M models are on target to beat their predecessors on fuel consumption and emissions – despite across-the-board performance improvements – thanks to a range of efficiency-enhancing measures.

The M35 Hybrid will join the conventionally-engined M models – including a new high-performance diesel V6 for Western Europe – as the first generation of Infiniti’s luxury performance saloon to be sold across all of its world markets which currently number 33 countries.