At the 2010 Paris Auto Show in October, Peugeot is expected to debut the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, its long-anticipated diesel hybrid. As noted in a 2009 preview on this site, the crossover vehicle will be available in 2011 and is expected to deliver incredible fuel efficiency. In fact, most auto review sites are citing the company’s claim that the 3008 Hybrid4 will get the equivalent of about 62 mpg.
The impressive fuel economy is due to the fact that diesel engines are more fuel efficient than their gas counterparts, using about 30 percent less fuel in some cases. So when a diesel engine is paired with an electric motor, the fuel economy potential is enormous.
And while there have been many diesel-hybrids announced and prototyped by other auto makers including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Mercedes, and Volvo, very little action has resulted.
With such potential for great fuel economy, the one question that comes to mind is why have there been so few diesel hybrids before this? As CNet points out, “many have been skeptical of a diesel hybrid, since a diesel engine’s high torque does not lend itself easily to incorporation with an electric motor.”
Peugeot gets around this by essentially keeping the diesel and hybrid elements separate. The diesel engine powers the front wheels; the electric motor powers the rear wheels. The two can work one at a time or at the same time. However, they are not connected mechanically.
Specifically, the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 will use Peugeot’s 2.0 liter HDi FAP diesel engine and an electric motor. The diesel engine is rated at 163 hp and the motor is 37 hp.
Drivers will be able to select one of four operating modes through a knob in the center console. An automatic mode relies on the 3008 Hybrid4’s computer to determine the best use of the diesel engine and the electric motor. A four wheel drive mode used both for maximum traction. A sport mode uses both in a way that delivers maximum acceleration. And a zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) mode relies on the electric motor, bringing in the diesel only if more power is needed for accelerating into traffic.
The 3008 Hybrid4 will come with some high-end features including a sunroof, heads-up display, Bluetooth connectivity, and a navigation system, according to a Car and Driver preview. It will also incorporate other 3008 crossover vehicle technology (available in the non-hybrid version) such as dynamic roll control.
The 3008 Hybrid4 will be produced in France. It will be available in Europe, but not the U.S. The price of the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 is expected to be in the $40,000 range.
A 2009 TheProDrivers YouTube video about the “Peugeot 3008, The Future – Hybrid” can be found here.
A video of Peugeot 3008 crossover technology can be found here.
the perfect way to go as far as diesel technology is concerned first it was the the common rail direct injection intercooled turbo diesel,which have made diesels more silent fuel efficient and compactand now the introduction of an electric motor which uses otherwise wasted energy from stop startsin traffic, during braking and acceleration and deceleration now makes the vehicle even more fuel efficient, now one more impt step peugoet could do is to use the entire roof of the vehicle embed it with solar panels which now come wafer thin so that the solar energy directly from the sun can be used to charge bigger batteries which have better back up . on top of this if peugoet can open a plant some where along the east coast heavily industrialised part of china then peugoet woulhave have a truly glabal vehicle which would probably be the cheapest mass produced solar-diesel-electric hybrid,the only one of its kind and a sure winner especially in asia which today probably has the largest buyers of brand new cars in the world of course there should be no compromise on standards by peugoet even in a china plant
Of course, it won’t be available in America. We are losers.