PSA Peugeot Citroën recently unveiled two demonstrators featuring a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, the Peugeot 307 and the Citroën C4 Hybride HDi. The performance of these cars represents a major breakthrough in further improving fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions. They also provide increased driving comfort under all conditions, especially in urban traffic.

Average diesel consumption for these cars is 3.4 l/100 km, with 90 g of CO2 emitted per kilometre, tank to wheel - a record for compact cars. This is some 25 per cent better than a similar vehicle equipped with a petrol hybrid system, or as much as a litre per 100 kilometres in combined urban and motorway driving.

PSA Peugeot Citroën's Hybrid HDi technology comprises a 1.6-litre HDi diesel engine, particulate filter system (DPFS) with the latest generation Stop & Start system, an electric motor, inverter, high voltage battery pack and dedicated control electronics, and is equipped with an electronically-managed manual gearbox.

The Stop & Start system enables the Hybride HDi vehicules to start and drive using only the HDi diesel engine, even when the high-voltage battery pack is totally flat. Other hybrid vehicles, in contrast, would be totally immobilised in this situation.

The Hybride HDi introduces several innovative features: recovery of kinetic energy during deceleration and braking; all-electric mode, or Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV), eliminating noise and emissions for urban driving at up to 50 kmh; extended ZEV mode, in which electrical power is used by default, depending on the battery charge level.

For main road and motorway driving, the electric motor can provide a 35 per cent power boost for extra acceleration when needed.

PSA Peugeot Citroën could market its Hybride HDi vehicles as early as 2010. However, their introduction rests on making this technology available at an affordable price. Today, the price gap between a Hybride HDi model and a comparable diesel HDi model is still too wide and would have to be halved to make diesel hybrid vehicles accessible to most consumers.

PSA Peugeot Citroën is committed to meeting the challenge of lowering the cost of this technology. Only by meeting this goal will the Group be able to ensure the widespread distribution of the innovative Hybride HDi solution so making a significant contribution to protecting the environment.

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