Infiniti Essence Hybrid Concept
When you say “eco-friendly car” or “hybrid vehicle,” the image that pops into your head is probably something like a Prius. The body design may be unique, but nobody would call it sleek and stylish. The performance may be fuel efficient, but it certainly couldn’t be considered exhilirating. Well, get ready to change that preconception, because the Infiniti Essence Hybrid Concept is a sleek and stylish hybrid sportscar that pumps out close to 600 combined horsepower. This definitely isn’t your daddy’s green car.
Let’s get one thing out in the open right now: yes this is a hybrid, but it is a hybrid supercar, and that means that it won’t have the same numbers as a lot of other hybrid vehicles. The Infiniti Essence will get about 30 mpg. This doesn’t seem all that impressive when compared to the 50 mpg 2010 Toyota Prius, but considering that the Essence has 592 combined horsepower, as opposed to the Prius’ 174, that’s a heck of a mileage rating. The average supercar that has that sort of power usually gets fuel ratings in the single digits.
The Essence has a 158 horsepower electric motor that will allow you to drive at lower speeds completely emissions free. This motor is made of optimized electromagnetic coils and permenant magnets, forming an electric motor that provides a lot more torque than the more traditional electric motors found in other hybrids. This means tha a quick acceleration that would normally have a hybrid’s electric motor screaming in agony will be commonplace for the Essence.
The Essence is a supercar, no doubt about it, and the price tag will reflect that. Should the car make it to the production lines, which has been hinted at but not confirmed, it will surely cost in the hundreds of thousands (no official pricing is available). While this price is way out of the average driver’s budget, the Essence offers an interesting look into what other hybrid technologies will be coming from the Infiniti brand. The high amount of torque offered by the Essence’s electric motor is definitely worthy of notice, as is the vehicle’s incredible styling.
