Cadillac Showcases CT6 Plug-in Hybrid

(RTTNews) - General Motors Co.'s (GM) Cadillac brand will offer a plug-in hybrid electric version of its all-new CT6 luxury sedan, which was unveiled last month in New York.

Cadillac said at the Shanghai Auto Show on Sunday that the plug-in hybrid electric or PHEV system is expected to achieve more than double the fuel economy of a conventional gasoline engine.

According to Cadillac, the CT6 PHEV takes advantage of the car's lightweight structure to create a unique formula for the prestige sedan.

The system is designed to provide drivers with all-electric range for most daily commutes, while maximizing fuel efficiency by providing blended power from the engine and battery at higher speeds and higher loads, even when energy is stored in the battery.

An 18.4 kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery pack that will be located between the rear seat and the trunk can be charged using a 120V or 240V charger. The battery system will use the company's active thermal control system that maintains electric range over the battery system's life.

The company will announce full details on the CT6 PHEV efficiency in the U.S. and other markets outside China closer to the car's introduction in those markets.

The CT6 plug-in will combine an all-new rear wheel electric variable transmission or EVT with exclusively designed motors to provide smooth acceleration. The two-motor EVT also uses three planetary gears, and is mated to a 2-liter, 4-cylinder turbo engine with spark-ignited direct injection and variable valve technology.

According to Cadillac, the combined system is capable of producing total system power of 335 horsepower and 432 pounds-feet of torque.

The plug-in hybrid will feature iBooster and regenerative blended braking to provide maximum energy recovery, reduced stopping distance and improved fuel economy over traditional regenerative braking systems.

It will also feature Regen on Demand, which allows the driver to temporarily regenerate energy from vehicle momentum into electricity and store in the battery pack to use later.

The CT6 will be built for the U.S. market beginning later in 2015 at GM's Detroit Hamtramck Assembly Plant. GM will build the CT6 for the Chinese market at a new plant in China, starting early next year.