PSA has revealed a comprehensive five-year plan for its volume marque, Peugeot. Key elements of the plan include downsizing of the company's internal combustion (IC) engines, diversification into multiple powertrain options and a concerted pitch to international markets.
The strategy will see IC engines reduced in capacity and cylinder count as the company diversifies into multiple powertrains -- a new three-cylinder petrol engine, diesel, diesel-electric hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric. Over the next five years, consumers around the world can expect to see the marque’s redesigned lion badge on a plethora of hybrid and plug-in powered vehicles on two, three and four wheels.
The document comes with an explicit aim: to rise three spots from its current tenth place in the world car market by 2015. Other less concrete goals include Peugeot "as a benchmark for style".
To that end, in March, the company will reveal its SR1 concept at the Geneva motor show. It combines an exterior designed to showcase future styling directions with a 230 kW HYbrid4 powertrain made up of a 160 kW 1.6-litre petrol four up front and a 70 kW electric motor on the rear axle. Capable of running either end in standalone mode or combined, fuel consumption and emissions range from zero to a combined-cycle 4.9 L/100 km and 119 g/km CO2
The latter half of 2010 will see it launching the first progeny of its partnership with Mitsubishi, a new-generation EV to be called i0n. Essentially a Mitsubishi i-MiEV modified for European conditions and urban commute patterns, i0n's lithium ion battery gives it a range of about 130 km at speeds of up to 130 km/h. Full recharge takes about six hours from a domestic socket or 30 minutes from a rapid charge terminal. Peugeot will share this vehicle with PSA stablemate, Citroen, which will market the car as the C-Zero.
Late in the year will come the E-Vivacity all-electric scooter and a lineup of all-electric light commercials based on the company's Partner Origin platform. The E-Vivacity's li-ion battery pack gives it the power of a 50 cc petrol engine. It's good for 80 to 100 kilometres on a charge, with full recharge taking about hours and 80 percent in around two.
In 2011 the company will start introducing diesel hybrid versions of its products, starting in Q2 with the 3008 HYbrid4 crossover. 'HYbrid4' refers to parallel architecture putting power from a diesel engine and an electric motor to the ground through a six-speed auto-manual gearbox and a stop-start system. Peugeot claims that in the 3008, the technology helps the 3008 to a combined-cycle 3.8L/100 km fuel consumption with CO2 emissions of 99g/km, representing cuts of up to 35 percent on both fronts.
Meanwhile, the entire 'HDi' diesel lineup will become 'e-HDi 'with the addition of a microhybrid package (in plain English, 'microhybrid' is known as auto stop/start). Peugeot claims the system cuts both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 15 percent.
In 2012 will come the next generation of the HYbrid4 technology -- a plug-in diesel hybrid set to further cut CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. The aim is to come in below 50g/km and 2.0L/100 km combined city/highway.
Also to come in 2012 will be an EV based on the ultra-compact (2.5 metre) four-seat BB1 concept rolled out at the 2009 Frankfurt show.
Along the way, the company will be pitching itself into new market sectors worldwide with the rollout of 14 new crossover, SUV and MPV models.
There's plenty in the offing on three and two wheels, too. As big a name in bicycles as it is in cars, Peugeot is working with electric motor specialist Ultra to come up with a 36 Volt lithium ion-powered bicycle with a range of 70 km.
The scooter division has come up with two concepts: the HYbrid3 Evolution three-wheeler combining a burner at the rear with electric motors on each of its two front wheels. The company claims CO2 emissions ranging from zero running electric-only to 48 g/km with everything going.
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