Brabus Hybrid Sedan Powered by Protean In-Wheel Motors Debuts in Detroit
DETROIT -- Troy-based Protean Electric, the global leader in electric in-wheel motors, will showcase its award-winning Protean Drive system in a Brabus Hybrid at the SAE 2012 World Congress April 24-26 at Cobo Center. The event will mark the Brabus Hybrid's premier North American appearance.
In addition, Protean plans a press conference at 11 a.m. Tuesday in which Protean Electric chairman and CEO Bob Purcell will unveil the Brabus Hybrid and announce several new global partners that will accelerate its in-wheel electric drive systems to market in high-volume production.
Brabus, the Germany-based independent automobile tuner, chose Protean's electric in-wheel motors to power its "Technology Project Hybrid" based on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The Brabus Hybrid vehicle is equipped with two Protean Drive wheel motors, which power the rear wheels, along with the vehicle's clean diesel engine.
Protean Drive is the most advanced in-wheel electric drive system for hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles. Going well beyond performance, Protean Drive can improve fuel economy by up to 30 percent in a plug-in hybrid application.
Each Protean motor adds 80 kW (110 hp) and 800 Nm (590 ft-lbs) of peak torque, which, when combined with the 2.2-liter common-rail turbo-diesel engine, give the Brabus Hybrid an acceleration of 0-100 km/hr (0-62 mph) in 7.4 seconds and 60-120 km/hr (37-75 mph) of 5.6 seconds.
More at www.proteanelectric.com or www.brabus.com.
