FIRSTDRIVE PEUGEOT 3008 HYBRID4:Peugeot's 3008 diesel hybrid is a great advance, writes Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor, improving the fuel saving options for motorists
IF YOU ADD an electric motor to a petrol car for use at urban speeds, the fuel savings of effectively switching off the engine are evident. Around town the silent rumble of cars like the Toyota Prius prove the point. The problem is that out on the open road, the car is dependent once more on its petrol powertrain.
So it makes sense that a diesel engine supported by an electric motor would make even better fuel savings. After all, one of the weaknesses of the hybrid format is that, at motorway speeds, it’s the traditional engine that does all the work and diesel units are more frugal than petrol ones.
The question, then, is why it has taken so long for diesel hybrids to come to market? Largely the blame has been put on costs, with a passing reference to engineering difficulties.
Peugeot has faced up to the challenge and introduced its innovative diesel-hybrid powertrain. While it will feature in a number of its other models in the months to come, the first model on forecourts is the popular 3008 crossover. That makes sense on two fronts. First off, the customer base is better equipped to cope with any extra price, and secondly the system is designed around a four-wheel-drive format, ideal for an occasional SUV.
On the 3008 the system is relatively straightforward: the diesel engine drives the front wheels, the electric motor the rear.
Like other regular hybrids, the battery is recharged from the electric motor temporarily acting as a generator and taking energy from braking and deceleration that would otherwise go unused.
There are no obvious external changes to the 3008’s look. Once inside there’s only a few minor changes such as a new gearstick, behind which lies a large dial that let’s you choose between electric mode, auto, four-wheel-drive, or sport.
The first thing to note is that, like all hybrids, its starts silently in electric mode. You pull away to the sound of tyre on tarmac.
However, within a minute or so, unless you are feather-light with the throttle, the diesel engine kicks into life.
Dial in electric mode (called ZEV for Zero Emissions Vehicle) and the car cruises along quietly for a short distance if the speed is kept below 60km/h. Then the engine takes over and the car operates like a regular hybrid.
The system works perfectly, if only there wasn’t such a drop in torque during gear changes.
The robotised gearbox is a vexatious beast of engineering hell. I have an abiding hatred of them: it’s as if your grandmother in the passenger seat is changing gears for you as you drive along. Between each change there’s an infuriating loss of torque and noticeable pause in power.
This is somewhat alleviated if you move out of auto mode on the hybrid 3008, but it’s annoying.
Move the Hybrid control dial to sports or four-wheel-drive mode and gearchanges are better, with power from both motors, but you pay the price in terms of fuel economy. Hybrid fans will accept the slower pace but newcomers will take time to adjust.
Another issue with the car is the four-setting dial itself. There’s no noticeable click between settings and there’s a slight delay in moving from one to the other. It’s fiddly and there’s no need for it to be so.
On a more positive note, Peugeot is confident that in a mix of urban and regular road settings, there will be a noticeable fuel saving. During our test session they showed us data from a 77.4km drive done earlier that day. With a decent average speed of 50km/h and a mix of regular national roads, the trip took 92 minutes, 48 of which were powered by electric. The end result is a significant saving in fuel costs.
And if you are light on the throttle the electric power continues to run up to 68km/h before the engine takes full control.
The hybrid format of mixing combustion engines with electric motors is, by its very nature, a cornucopia of options. Diesel engines add yet another dimension to what’s here at present. The problem, if there is one, is that on a long rural drive you are dependent on that diesel engine, while the added weight of the electric motor and battery negates some of the advantage you may have reaped in town and suburban drives. Buyers need to weigh up their driving environments to see if the format makes sense. If you spend a lot of time in traffic or at speeds below 60km/h, there are obvious rewards. Even when you stray on to national roads, you’ll find your focus shifting from power to fuel economy in any event. Part of the savings come from the physical changes to the powertrain, part from the psychological changes in the motorist.
Whatever the mix, the arrival of the diesel hybrid format is to be welcomed – yet another weapon in the fight against our addiction to the imported black gold.
FACTFILE
- 1997cc diesel engine putting out 163bhp @ 3,850rpm and 300Nm of torque combined with a 27Kw electric motor Transmission is a six-speed robotised automatic gearbox
- Max speed: 191km/h
0-100km/h:8.5 secs
L/100km (mpg): urban – 3.9; extra-urban – 3.7; combined – 3.8
Emissions (tax):99g/km (€104) based on car with 16" low resistance tyres
