2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid to put Infiniti into hybrid luxury competition

October 8, 2:00 AMAuto Review ExaminerJohn Matras

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Yesterday Infiniti announced that it will join the growing luxury hybrid club with the 2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid. The new Infiniti will be an additional version the M series luxury sedan scheduled to arrive in dealerships in the spring of 2010 and 2011 models. The Infiniti M35 Hybrid will look like is gas-only-powered stable mates--except for the "hybrid" badge on its trunklid--but will produce less carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions get better fuel mileage--yet will maintain the performance of a luxury car.

Infiniti isn't giving any hard and fast numbers yet. It's still about a year and a half out from the cars going on sale. However, the layout is ready to rock:

"Infiniti’s hybrid system, developed solely within Infiniti’s parent group, is a single electric motor/twin clutch arrangement. Innovatively, the first clutch is installed between the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and the electric motor. The result of this configuration, where all components act on a single prop shaft to the rear differential, is a consistent driving feel under all conditions with linear performance and the 'direct responses' that the engineers sought.

The basic operations are relatively conventional for a partial hybrid setup:

"The electric motor acts as both propulsion unit, boosting the V6 in “power assist” mode when maximum acceleration is required, and also as a generator. Along with charging the battery in the normal way, the motor recovers energy otherwise lost during deceleration and braking.

"The M Hybrid can also run solely on its electric motor in certain driving conditions, furthering fuel efficiency and optimizing energy usage across the widest possible range of driving conditions."

The 2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid also touts a “laminated” lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack. This battery pack is the same size as conventional batteries but holds twice the power, allowing it to be smaller and less intrusive the conventional batters. The "laminated" part of the battery helps keep the battery pack cool--there's waste heat from a battery being repeatedly charged and discharged--and Infiniti says that use of manganese positive electrodes helps maintain temperature stability. It all adds up, says Infiniti, to improved battery reliability--though we've not heard of hybrid batteries failing yet.

The 2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid will join the regular gasoline-powered models, plus in Europe a special diesel edition will be available. The new generation Infiniti M series will be the first to be sold around the world in various markets, a major step for the brand, just as the 2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid is. Welcome to the club.

Illustrations: 2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid. Photos courtesy Infiniti.

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