Hyundai revealed their latest concept car at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show this week – the i-flow. Looking more like a design concept than anything, the i-flow also shows off some ideas about future propulsion technologies. Nothing new, of course, but it uses a diesel variant of Hyundai’s Hybrid Blue Drive technology that we’ve been hearing about for so long. The i-flow uses a 1.7-liter twin-turbo diesel engine supplemented by a lithium-ion battery and six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The powertrain, along with the i-flow’s fluid aerodynamics helps the concept achieve a fuel consumption of only 3 liters per 100 km, or around 78 mpg. Ironically, that’s exactly the same fuel economy as Porsche claims for their 700+ horsepower 918 Spyder Concept
Hyundai has also implemented new techniques to use heat as an advantage. The technique helps improve fuel economy and better retain energy by using a thermo-electric generator to capture the excess heat from the exhaust manifold and use it to power the electrical systems. The engine is also “thermally encapsulated,” meaning the engine reaches ideal operating temperatures more quickly by retaining heat when the car is idle. This helps save from 5 – 9% fuel economy
Hyundai says they’ll be producing a new car in 2011 based on the i-flow’s “sleek styling and innovative technology