Peugeot is working on making its HybridAir technology, which uses compressed air to boost a small capacity petrol engine, available for its road cars. Just like an electric motor, the Hybrid Air system can operate in zero emissions air mode, with compressed air used to drive the hydraulic motor, which then turns the transmission and the front wheels.
The system can also operate in petrol-engine-only mode, or petrol and air altogether. The compressed air tank is refilled by a hydraulic pump under deceleration or braking.
Showcased on the 208 Hybrid FE Concept, Peugeot’s Hybrid Air technology could lead to production cars averaging 100 mpg UK (2.8 l/100 km). According to a report from AutoExpress, the French carmaker won’t bring the technology to its road cars earlier than 2015, but when all details will be sorted out it expects improvements on the 100 mpg figure.
On a typical B-segment car like the Peugeot 208, the technology could bring an average fuel economy of 97.3 mpg UK (2.9 l/100 km) and CO2 emissions of 69 g/km. That would be a serious improvement over the most efficient 208 in the range today, the 1.4 e-Hdi, which emits 87 g/km.
Using solutions from the 208 FE Hybrid concept, Peugeot believes efficiency figures can be further improved to around 141 mpg UK (2 l/100 km).
By Dan Mihalascu
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