48-Volt Mild Hybrid System to Come Standard on All A8s

Set to launch on July 11 in Barcelona, the brand new Audi A8 will feature a 48-volt “mild-hybrid” system to improve fuel economy.

The system is expected to find its way into all of Audi’s larger vehicles soon.

The A8 will feature a 48-volt battery and a belt driven alternator. The system will recuperate energy during deceleration and help the traditional engine to propel the vehicle on acceleration.

Standard on all gas and diesel A8s, the 48-volt system will also help the car along when the engine starts after being turned off during stops or coasting. The A8 features a system that allows its engine to turn off while the car is coasting at speeds of up to 99 mph.

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The electric drive unit can provide up to 16 horsepower and 45 pound-feet of torque, helping to reduce the load on the engine and reducing fuel consumption.

Alexander Kruse, Audi’s head of mild hybrid systems, says that the technology will be available on the new generations of A7 and A6. Smaller cars, though, will feature a less powerful mild-hybrid system, using a conventional battery.