A new mild hybrid concept vehicle made its global debut at Auto Shanghai this week dubbed the Buick Business Concept.
It is a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that has been developed in China by the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Centre as part of a design and engineering joint venture with both General Motors and the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. The vehicle accommodates the next-generation GM Hybrid system and will be introduced in China in the near future.
The GM Hybrid System, which made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2008, builds on belt-alternator-starter hybrid technology that is already available in the Buick LaCrosse Eco-Hybrid in China. The second generation has been equipped with a lithium-ion battery system from Hitachi Vehicle Energy Ltd and is set to be three times more powerful than the outgoing system.
Fuel economy improvements are expected to reach 20 per cent with emissions also reduced because the system turns the engine off when the idle; offers brief electric-only propulsion; uses a more powerful electric motor for engine efficiency; performs intelligent hybrid battery charging; and extends regenerative braking to recapture more energy.
The vehicle has been built with the aim of creating a modern global design that includes a subtle Chinese influence as China is the world’s largest Buick market.
