Marton Pettendy•19 Sept 2012
NEWS
Peugeot pans hybrid
Diesel-electric Peugeot models canned for Australia as French brand shelves hot-climate hybrid developmentPeugeot will not release any hybrid models in Australia for the foreseeable future, following a halt in the development of its ground-breaking all-wheel drive diesel-electric models for hot climates.
Last year Peugeot said it was committed to releasing Hybrid4 versions of its compact 3008 and mid-sized 508 RXH crossover wagons here by the end of this year, but recently cautioned that their local release hinged on a supplementary validation program for hot-weather markets including Australia.
Now, Peugeot Automobiles Australia Director Bill Gillespie says that program has been cancelled, meaning neither eco-friendly model will become available here.
“There will be no hybrids at this stage,” he told motoring.com.au at the launch of the new 208 light hatch. “The hot-weather program has been shelved, meaning the extra development work required for markets like ours will not happen. Neither hybrid model is on our radar any longer.”
Both the 3008 and 508 RXH Hybrid4s are powered by the same “world-first” diesel-electric drive system that employs a 120kW/300Nm 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine to drive the front wheels via a six-speed clutchless manual gearbox and a 27kW/200Nm electric motor to drive the rear wheels.
Released in Europe earlier this year, the 3008 Hybrid4 offers combined fuel consumption of just 3.8L/100km and the larger 508 RXH consumes 4.2L/100km, while Peugeot claims the diesel-hybrid powertrain emits 35 per cent less CO2 than an equivalent petrol-hybrid system.
Neither model is yet to be released outside Europe and the hot-weather ban also affects the recently announced 508 Hybrid4 sedan, which comes with the same powertrain but was never planned for Australian introduction.
The 508 RXH Hybrid4 had been expected to top the 508 range at around $60,000 – just a few thousand dollars more than its current wagon flagship, the 508 GT HDi ($58,590).
Like Volkswagen, Peugeot has seen a sales swing back toward petrol models and, despite being a pioneer of diesel-powered passenger cars, will launch its new 208 without a diesel engine, while the small 4008 crossover remains a petrol-only proposition in Australia.
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Written byMarton Pettendy
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