A bit of power with your social consciousness? Infiniti says it can deliver both with its M35 hybrid to go into production on its 2012 model due for arrival in spring 2011. Based on Infiniti’s luxury performance sedan “M” series, the hybrid has a proprietary system by which the 3.5-liter V6 and electric motors are connected to the engine’s output shaft, and the implication is that the flow of power to the transmission would make Danny and Kenickie from Grease happy. Okay, maybe it would make the 40-year-old versions of them (replete with a PTA wife and ungrateful kids) happy, but still, Infiniti is obviously trying to make the M35 less like its hybrid counterparts that tend to lurch when they transition between gas and electric modes as well as quietly creep up on you all spooky-like.
The other Nissan-specific technology of note is this new “laminated” lithium-ion battery pack. No bigger than a standard battery, it lasts longer and the lamination bolsters the battery’s cooling abilities, making it more reliable, which would probably bring comfort to Danny’s bakesale-committee wife. But what about the greenies? Where are they on the “buy an old car to avoid using resources to make new products” vs “we need to transition at some point” argument?
