Toyota's Hybrid Super Car

In 1800, Alessandro Volta arranged zinc and copper discs in a column and invented the battery. 204 years later, Toyota has electrified automotive history with the first high-performance hybrid, named in his honor. The Giugiaro-designed carbon-fiber body seats three people abreast and features "drive-by-wire" controls, allowing you to position the steering wheel and pedals in front of any one of them. And the Volta's 408-hp Hybrid Synergy Drive (a 3.3-liter V6 with an electric motor for each axle) not only delivers 435 miles on a 13.7-gallon tank, but 0 - 60 acceleration in a mere 4 seconds. Somewhere, Count Volta is smiling.

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/volta.html

Toyota furnished to Italdesign-Giugiaro a derivative of its ultimate hybrid system, the one adopted on the Lexus RX 400. On the Volta, the 3.3 liter V6 petrol engine is fitted behind the rear axle and not connected directly to the wheels. Indeed, motion is ensured by two electrically powered engines, one per axle thereby securing all-wheel drive and enhanced safety.

As such, this epoch-making mechanical layout paves the way to eliminating the traditional transmission and gearbox longitudinal encumbrance.

Indeed, operating electronics enable the power transmitted by the electric motors to the wheels to be modulated, thereby rendering superfluous the gear/clutch unit.

Housed under the lightweight, carbon-fiber chassis, designed and engineered by the Italdesign Giugiaro technical department, are the batteries, weighing 70 kg.

Result: significantly leaner weight, balanced and encompassed between the axles, 300 kW/408 HP output, top speed limited at 250 km/h with acceleration from 0 to 100 km coming in 4.03 seconds.

http://www.gizmo.com.au/public/News/news.a...?articleid=2685

And also see this for some nice photos:

http://www.mobilegizmo.com/14/7.html

GM may be missing the boat again!