Peugeot pioneers battery-free hybrid
French car maker develops game-changing hybrid concept using compressed gas instead of traditional batteriesPSA Peugeot Citroen has released details of what it says is “game-changing technology”, in the form of a new hybrid system that uses compressed nitrogen gas to drive a secondary motor.
Instead of using the stored energy from a battery to power an auxiliary engine, Peugeot's new 'Hybrid Air' system uses nitrogen gas that is compressed during braking/deceleration, and released when needed to power a small hydraulic motor.
According to Peugeot, the innovative hybrid configuration is more efficient than common electric hybrid systems. Although not production ready, it has the potential to reduce emissions in a three-cylinder Peugeot 208 runabout to 2.9L/100km with CO2 emissions of just 69g/km.
The French manufacturer asserts that the system is so efficient that in city driving the petrol engine would be required as little as 20 per cent of the time, allowing the car to run as a zero emission vehicle the rest of the time.
Developed in conjunction with Bosch, the Hybrid Air system is believed to be lighter than an equivalent petrol-electric hybrid. It has been earmarked for deployment in 2016 and should be available at a more affordable price than current, more conventional hybrid systems.
According to PSA Peugeot Citroen, the petrol-nitrogen hybrid system is expected to make its debut in a small city car, such as the 208, and represents "a key step towards the 2L/100km car by 2020".
Executive Vice President of Research & Development at PSA Peugeot Citroën, Guillaume Faury, said car makers must become more innovative to meet stringent emissions levels and customer demands, and research projects like the new petrol-nitrogen hybrid system were a prime example of this.
"The process by which automobiles evolve is advancing very quickly in what is a profoundly changing environment," he said. "We are stepping up our innovation here at PSA Peugeot Citroën to meet the major challenges of tomorrow’s mobility."
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