Peugeot says it has boosted the fuel economy of its 3008 HYbrid4 crossover diesel hybrid by about 30 percent while cutting its greenhouse-gas emissions by about eight percent.
The French automaker has upgraded the motor software systems to that, starting this month, the hybrid – fitted with low rolling resistance tires – will get 80.7 miles per gallon per combined on the more forgiving (compared to America’s) European driving cycle, up from the 61.9 mpg for the version that went on sale in Europe about a year ago.
Additionally, greenhouse-gas emissions are down to 91 grams per kilometer, from 99 g/km. For 3008 HYbrid4’s with regular tires, fuel efficiency is up to 74.3 mpg. Peugeot started selling the crossover hybrid last September. The model pairs a 163-horsepower inline-four-cylinder diesel engine with a 37-horsepower electric motor.
The positive news follows up some not-so-sunny developments for the automaker, which later this month will be de-listed from France’s benchmark stock index, the CAC 40. Peugeot, which has been on the index since its 1987 inception, has seen its stock drop to quarter-century lows and took a first-half loss of more than $1 billion.
The Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4, the first full hybrid Diesel crossover in the world, makes progress to reduce its CO2 emissions to 91 g/km.
Peugeot, the precursor of the HYbrid4 technology, stays one step ahead by improving the environmental performance of its innovative drive train.
With a wealth of experience obtained in the development of 3 full hybrid Diesel models in the Peugeot range (3008 HYbrid4, 508 RXH, 508 HYbrid4), the engineers, in their unceasing work to develop this technology, identified points for optimisation.
New management software for the motors, including a certain number of improvements, has been developed and will be included in 3008 HYbrid4 vehicles on sale from September 2012. These changes, which optimise the phases of energy recovery and the management of the batteries, have allowed new savings to be made in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. It is particularly in urban driving that the benefits are most marked.
The 3008 HYbrid4 is now type-approved on the combined cycle at 91 g/km and 3.5 l/100 km (80.7 mpg) for the version fitted with very low rolling resistance 16” tyres. The models fitted with other tyres (16” M+S, 17” or 18”) also see their CO2 emissions reduced to 99 g /km for a fuel consumption figure of only 3.8 l/100 km (74.3 mpg).
