Proton unveils prototype Hybrid Car Developed In Collaboration With Lotus

Malaysia’s National auto manufacturer Proton has unveiled its first Hybrid prototype, designed in collaboration with Lotus Engineering. It is just over two decades since the company bolted together its first cars from Mitsubishi parts imported from Japan, but as the company has grown in strength, it has acquired considerable engineering design, development and manufacturing expertise, pulling off a major coup with its acquisition of Lotus in 1996. The 'EVE Hybrid' (Efficient, Viable, Environmental) research and development project was a collaboration of Proton and Lotus and EVE sports some impressive vital statistics. EVE has a 1.6litre petrol engine, which uses a 'micro-hybrid' start-stop system, a full parallel hybrid drive and a continuously variable transmission to achieve fuel economy of 5.6 litres/100km. maximum torque of whopping 233Nm at 1500rpm and maximum power of 105kW at 5500rpm enabling the car to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 9.0 seconds with a top speed of 188.8 km/h.

Extensive performance and drive cycle modeling of the prototype hybrid variant using the EVE Hybrid technologies indicate impressive performance figures.

Using the full parallel hybrid configuration the car can achieve fuel economy of 5.6 litres/100km (a 28 percent improvement over a standard petrol Proton GEN.2) while producing maximum torque of 233Nm at1500rpm and maximum power of 105kW at 5500rpm enabling the car to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 9.0 seconds with a top speed of 188.8 km/h and a CO2 emission level of just 134g/km, a 22 percent reduction compared with the standard car.

Proton has not revealed any details of when or if the prototype EVE Hybrid will be mass-produced.

The system showcases how OEMs can introduce lower emissions variants to existing model ranges that currently only offer conventional gasoline and diesel powertrains.

Lotus Engineering believes the application of hybrid technology is a key route for CO2 emissions reduction and that in the short term it will remain more viable to integrate hybrid technologies into existing model ranges than to develop expensive new dedicated hybrid platforms.

The EVE system will provide Proton solutions that will keep price premiums for hybrid variants to a minimum, thanks to lower development costs.

This new hybrid system is available immediately for introduction within current and next generation model lifecycles.

The EVE Hybrid program is focused on establishing the processes for integrating hybrid technology with minimal development time and cost, overcoming many of the challenges associated with integrating hybrid technology into existing platforms through intelligent, compact and discreet packaging of the necessary hybrid components.

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