Peugeot highlights its Hybrid Air technology in new demonstrator car

 

Peugeot's Hybrid 208 2L demonstrator car complements a gasoline-air powertrain with weight- and drag-cutting measures

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A car that runs on air? Peugeot is working on it. The French automaker revealed its Hybrid Air technology last year and will showcase the 208 Hybrid 2L Demonstrator car at the Paris Motor Show next month. The latest iteration of the Hybrid Air design complements the gasoline-air powertrain with weight- and drag-cutting measures to offer fuel economy in the range of 117 mpg (2 L/100km), which is well above the 81 mpg (2.9 L/100km) it was quoting last year.

Beginning with the 82-hp (61 kW) 1.2-liter PureTech 208 five-seater, Peugeot's engineers reached into their materials catalog, swapping in carbon composite body panels and coil springs. They also reworked the thickness of the stainless steel on the exhaust system to provide a 20 percent weight saving, helping slice 220 lb (100 kg) compared to the production 208, down to 1,896 lb (860 kg).

While exotic materials are sometimes dropped when a car moves from prototype to production, Peugeot says that its team looked specifically for "materials compatible with existing production facilities and a high manufacturing output," suggesting a production version could feature the same construction.

The Hybrid Air powertrain combines the 1.2-liter gasoline engine with a compressed-air drive. Unlike last year's Hybrid Air concept, which used a longitudinally mounted air tank running down the center of the car, the 208 Hybrid 2L carries its compressed air tank below the trunk, with a low-pressure expansion tank mounted near the rear axle. The compressed air works in conjunction with a front-mounted hydraulic motor/pump system to power the car and refill in about 10 seconds during deceleration or by way of compressed air developed by the three-cylinder engine.

A bespoke epicyclic transmission balances output from the two power sources. The car has a zero emissions Air mode for lower-speed urban driving, Petrol mode for steady highway driving, and Combined mode for "transition phases in urban environments, such as standing starts and acceleration." As the demonstrator model name indicates, this balance results in efficiency levels as high as 2L/100 km (117 mpg), an improvement from last year's 2.9L/100km (81 mpg) figure.

Gizmag will be attending the Paris Motor Show, and we'll look to get more information about this promising hybrid technology, including whether it is still on pace to launch within the next two years.

Source: Peugeot

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Upon graduating college with a poli sci degree, Chris toiled in the political world for several years. Realizing he was better off making cynical comments from afar than actually getting involved in all that mess, he turned away from matters of government and news to cover the things that really matter: outdoor recreation, cool cars, technology, wild gadgets and all forms of other toys. He's happily following the wisdom of his father who told him that if you find something you love to do, it won't really be work.   All articles by C.C. Weiss

Anyone who belittles efforts to improve fuel economy would do well to watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jaQmcYEiME. It is 38 minutes long, but the first five minutes or so should be enough to get you hooked if you are a car driver or involved in road transport of any kind. It is also of interest to anyone who has swallowed the fracking hype and is in need of a dose of reality.

You might consider 'Googling' the presenter, Chris Martenson, to lend validity to what is said. One thing we can be sure of is that high performance cars and their excessive fuel consumption are in the winter of their lives. Not because fuel will be too expensive for those who can afford to buy such cars, but because driving one will be seen as anti-social and image is all important to such people.

Good luck to Peugeot - 117 mpg will be quite an achievement if it carries over into production, which appears to be their aim.

Mel Tisdale
16th September, 2014 @ 01:51 am PDT

Okay, this is just an air-gasoline hybrid, with the air being little more than a short distance buffer storage. We can't actually say it runs on air, then.

I have in fact seen compressed air driven cars more than a decade ago, running in the streets, only it was a neighborhood vehicle niche market then.

Running efficiency might not be the key feature of air cars. On the pro side, they do not require much precious resources and no dangerous materials, neither to make nor to run them.

Production and storage of pressurized air is easily possible without precious metals, and it can be losslessly stored forever, as opposed to electricity. Filling up is fast.

It may mot be the perfect solution as it is now, still I would not put it aside as silly. Roaling coal is silly. Technology evolves.

martinkopplow
16th September, 2014 @ 01:51 am PDT