Audi shelves hybrid Q7 in favor of smaller Q5

02/08/2008 02:36. The decision, first reported by European car magazine Autocar, was made because Audi thinks hybrid systems are more sensible in smaller vehicles and because it wants to introduce the vehicle with lithium-ion batteries instead of nickel-metal hydride batteries.

Nickel-metal hydride batteries are used in hybrid vehicles today while lithium-ion batteries remain under development for the automotive industry.

"We feel that lithium-ion is a more advanced and more efficient technology," said Audi spokesman Jeff Kuhlman. "It's obviously not ready for market introduction yet. But we intend to pursue that as our hybrid battery technology."

Audi had said it would introduce the Q7 Hybrid during the fourth quarter of this year.

The Q7 is longer, wider and taller than the sporty Q5, which is... // Trading Markets