Peugeot announces 141mpg compressed air hybrid demonstrator
Peugeot has revealed that it will be showing off its 208 HYbrid Air 2L Demonstrator at the Paris Motor Show next month.
Based on a production version of the 208 with the 1.2-litre PureTech 82hp engine, the 2L (which stands for 2l/100km, or 141mpg) uses compressed air to assist or even replace the petrol engine to maximise efficiency.
The system uses a hydraulic pump and a motor positioned by the engine to provide the zero-emission drive while there’s a bespoke transmission to cope with the two powertrains.
In Air (ZEV) mode, the car uses compressed air to provide emission-free motoring at lower speed, while the Combined mode uses the air to create added boost in situations like standing starts and the internal combustion engine alone is better suited to motorway driving.
The compressed air is stored in a high-pressure tank under the boot and is recharged when the car is slowing or by part use of the petrol engine’s power. Both types of recharge can restore full pressure in just ten seconds.
It’s not just the powertrain that saves fuel. Carbon composites have been used for the body panels to reduce weight by 100kg and the aerodynamics have been fettled to reduce drag.
At present, the car is just a demonstrator, but the redesigned parts have been developed with mass-production in mind, so theoretically the car could become a production model.