Diesel-Electric Hybrid Duo Capable of 3.4 L/100 KM In terms of green, fuel-efficient automobiles, there are three schools
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| Diesel or hybrid? How about both? (Photo: PSA-Peugeot-Citroën) |
of thought: gasoline-electric hybrids, modern direct-injection diesel and hydrogen (either fuel cell or internal combustion). Though it's nearly impossible to get a hold on any sort of hydrogen-powered automobile currently due to their high cost, extremely limited production and nearly non-existent refueling infrastructure, the other two are easy to access. Hybrid vehicles are sought after for their ability to provide zero emissions when running on pure electricity and improved fuel economy on the road, while diesels are chosen for their general thriftiness and plentiful torque; but what about the two together?
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| It's just like a regular diesel hatchback, but with the extra juice of a 31-horsepower electrical boost. (Photo: PSA-Peugeot-Citroën) |
Following in the footsteps of Volkswagen's diesel-electric Mk.IV Golf test bed vehicle, which the German automaker unveiled at last year's Michelin Bibendum clean-energy challenge, France's largest automaker has decided to have a go at playing with electricity. With over seven million of its world-famous HDi diesel engines under its belt, PSA-Peugeot-Citroën is considered the foremost authority on diesel technology, and has jumped onto the hybrid scene with two demonstrator vehicles powered by their new Hybride diesel-electric hybrid system, which they will be showing for the first time at this year's Geneva Motor Show.
Like the VW Golf, the Honda Accord or the Ford Escape hybrids, the
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| The interior is standard, but for a visual graphic display, as you might get with a Prius or Escape. (Photo: PSA-Peugeot-Citroen) |
very French-sounding Hybride system has been integrated into vehicles currently in production; each brand will show its own version starting with the futuristic-looking Citroën C4 Hybride and the Peugeot 307 Hybride, both of which compete in the mainstream family-sized hatchback (Golf, Caliber, Civic etc.). Bar the vivid green Hybride vinyl sticker livery that each concept wears, both the C4 and 307 are plain, stock production vehicles that do not differ from their mass-produced counterparts. Not much is different on the inside either, but for the console-mounted LCD display which shows the car's power flow, as with the Escape or Prius.
The Hybride system works much like any current gasoline-electric hybrid, pairing an internal combustion engine, in this case a 1.6-litre HDi common ra
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| 3.4 L/100 km (69 mpg) in a hatchback. That's amazing! (Photo: PSA-Peugeot-Citroën) |
il turbodiesel featuring a pollutant-capturing particulate filter system, with a 23 kW (31-hp) electric motor that can be used to generate or produce electric power. The diesel motor feature's PSA's Start and Stop system, which automatically turns the engine off when idling and restarts it instantly when the gas pedal is pressed - just like other hybrids. Electrical power is stored in a high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack. Because the Hybride system utilizes an electronically-controlled manual gearbox with sequential-shift, the car can be operated using any combination of diesel and/or electric power, making it a full hybrid, as opposed to a mild, 'combination' hybrid that merely assists the combustion engine.
