2014 Nissan Altima Hybrid Tech Preview - Popular Mechanics
gets an overhaul next year, when the all-new 2013 Nissan Altima debuts. The following year, the 2014 Altima will feature an all-new Nissan-designed powertrain that includes the Altima's first hybrid engine. A supercharger will feed the new 2. 5-liter four-cylinder engine used in the hybrid Altima. Nissan says this results in a solid boost of torque at a low rpm. The supercharger allows Nissan to use the less expensive port fuel injection. Nissan already features a 1. 2-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine in its Micra. 5-liter hybrid drivetrain is partnered with a new CVT transmission that we had a chance to sample in a current Altima. The new CVT is said to provide about a 10 percent improvement in fuel economy, thanks to a 40 percent reduction in friction that comes largely from lower-viscosity fluid, a more efficient pump, and chain drive. At 50 mph, an Altima's engine with the current CVT revs at about 1500 rpm. On Nissan's test track, the lowered rpms are certainly noticeable. At freeway speeds, the current Altima with the new CVT was quieter and more relaxed. Source: www.popularmechanics.com
