007
1
FIRST DRIVE Peugeot 3008 2.0 HDi Hybrid4 104g FEBRUARY 19, 2012 The Sunday Times MOTORING 7 T he concept of a hybrid vehicle is no longer new. We have Toyota to thank for the broad accept- ance of cars that run on electric as well as petrol power. However, it’s the choice of en- gine that has put some people off. Petrol power is fine if the fuel is cheap. is goes someway to ex- plaining why Toyota – and Honda – hybrids have been so successful in North America. Sadly our ‘spe- cial relationship’ has yet to extend to convincing our cousins across the water that diesel is better. And that is why diesel hybrids have been absent from the price lists; the American market is the biggest and the most influential. at is about to change, how- ever, with the introduction of Peu- geot’s 3008 Hybrid4. Based on a standard 3008, Peugeot has con- nected an electric powertrain to the car’s rear wheels. In an instant you’ve got an all-wheel drive family crossover vehicle, but you’ve also got a car that can travel for a mile or so on electric power alone. In the right conditions it will also pull away from rest in electric mode, re- ducing the amount of fuel you use and boosting throttle response. So how does it all work? In sim- ple terms the 3008 Hybrid4 packs a conventional four-cylinder diesel motor under its bonnet. In this case its Peugeot’s higher output 163 bhp unit. At the back is the aforemen- tioned electric motor arrangement. is motor can deliver up to the equivalent of 37 bhp. e battery pack is automatically charged without the need to plug it in some- where like with a conventional electric vehicle. e regenerative process happens when you’re off the throttle, and is most obvious from the stronger than usual en- gine braking – around town it’s no- ticeable that you need to use the brakes less when coasting to a stop. e two power units’ connection with the real world is by Peugeot’s clutchless manual gearbox. is will be a familiar unit to Peugeot fans and, while it does have its quirks, with the addition of electric power the automated gear changes feel smoother than in a conventional car. Out on the road the 3008 Hy- brid4 behaves almost like a regular 3008. e immediate tell-tale sign is when you turn the key, as not much happens in the noise depart- ment. With the default start-up mode electric, it is possible to pull away with just the distant whine of the electric motor. If the car detects more power is required, the diesel engine fires into life. From then on it’s just like driving a diesel-pow- ered 3008 that is until you stop as that’s when the engine stops. Move off and, if there’s enough battery charge, you’ll power away in elec- tric mode and start the automatic power-juggling cycle again. If there’s one thing the hybrid variant does share with its conven- tional 3008 cousin, it is a rotary controller allowing you to change transmission modes. To counter the need for a gen- uinely costly all-wheel drive system, Peugeot adopted a traction control sys- tem dubbed Grip Con- trol. e Hybrid4 model goes a step fur- ther; you can switch between all electric (EV), power, auto and 4x4 modes. Of course, ‘forcing’ the car into EV mode will only last for as long as there’s suffi- cient charge in the battery, which means driving gently to achieve the ‘couple of miles’ goal. e flipside is the power mode, which unleashes everything the 3008 has for maxi- mum acceleration and perform- ance, while the 4x4 mode engages the rear axle for added trac- tion on slippery grass and muddy tracks. Predictably, leaving the car in the auto mode seems to work well during general driving duties. e technical competence demonstrated by the 3008 Hybrid4 is but one element of its appeal. Peugeot readily admits that its focus is on company car drivers as, with the base specification car out- putting 99g/km CO 2 , the tax bene- fits will be attractive. Also, there’s the ability offset the full cost of the car against company profits in the first year of ownership. Not bad for a five-seat, 200 bhp high-rise hatchback with the same kit as a regular 3008 plus Peugeot’s recently improved build quality and premium cabin ambience. Sure, the hybrid model won’t suit everyone’s needs, but it’s a bold first step in the realm of diesel-elec- tric hybrids and shows plenty of promise. IAIN DOOLEY A bold step in diesel hybrids TOP SPEED 118mph 0-100km 8.5 seconds ECONOMY 70.5mpg C0 2 104g/km when on 17-inch wheels. 99g/km CO₂ when on 16-inch wheels. ENGINE 2.0-litre diesel unit develop- ing 163 bhp. Electric motor develops 37 bhp. TRANSMISSION Six-speed automated manual transmission as standard, driving the front wheels. Electric motor drives rear wheels. AT A GLANCE “In an instant you’ve got an all-wheel drive family crossover vehicle”
-
Upload
jeff-muscat -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
1
description
0-100km TOP SPEED ENGINE The Sunday Times MOTORING 7 104g/km when on 17-inch wheels. 99g/km CO₂ when on 16-inch wheels. C0 2 2.0-litre diesel unit develop- ing 163 bhp. Electric motor develops 37 bhp. engine fires into life. From then on it’s just like driving a diesel-pow- ered 3008 that is until you stop as that’s when the engine stops. Move off and, if there’s enough battery charge, you’ll power away in elec- tric mode and start the automatic power-juggling cycle again. 118mph
Transcript of 007
FIRST DRIVE Peugeot 3008 2.0 HDi Hybrid4 104g
FEBRUARY 19, 2012 The Sunday Times MOTORING 7
The concept of a hybridvehicle is no longer new.We have Toyota to thankfor the broad accept-ance of cars that run on
electric as well as petrol power.However, it’s the choice of en-
gine that has put some people off.Petrol power is fine if the fuel ischeap. This goes someway to ex-plaining why Toyota – and Honda– hybrids have been so successfulin North America. Sadly our ‘spe-cial relationship’ has yet to extendto convincing our cousins acrossthe water that diesel is better.
And that is why diesel hybridshave been absent from the pricelists; the American market is thebiggest and the most influential.
That is about to change, how-ever, with the introduction of Peu-geot’s 3008 Hybrid4. Based on astandard 3008, Peugeot has con-nected an electric powertrain tothe car’s rear wheels. In an instantyou’ve got an all-wheel drive familycrossover vehicle, but you’ve also
got a car that can travel for a mileor so on electric power alone. Inthe right conditions it will also pullaway from rest in electric mode, re-ducing the amount of fuel you useand boosting throttle response.
So how does it all work? In sim-ple terms the 3008 Hybrid4 packs aconventional four-cylinder dieselmotor under its bonnet. In thiscase its Peugeot’s higher output 163bhp unit.
At the back is the aforemen-tioned electric motor arrangement.This motor can deliver up to theequivalent of 37 bhp. The batterypack is automatically chargedwithout the need to plug it in some-where like with a conventionalelectric vehicle. The regenerativeprocess happens when you’re offthe throttle, and is most obviousfrom the stronger than usual en-gine braking – around town it’s no-ticeable that you need to use thebrakes less when coasting to a stop.
The two power units’ connectionwith the real world is by Peugeot’sclutchless manual gearbox.
This will be a familiar unit toPeugeot fans and, while it doeshave its quirks, with the addition ofelectric power the automated gearchanges feel smoother than in aconventional car.
Out on the road the 3008 Hy-brid4 behaves almost like a regular3008. The immediate tell-tale signis when you turn the key, as notmuch happens in the noise depart-ment. With the default start-upmode electric, it is possible to pullaway with just the distant whine ofthe electric motor. If the car detectsmore power is required, the diesel
engine fires intolife. From then on it’sjust like driving a diesel-pow-ered 3008 that is until you stop asthat’s when the engine stops. Moveoff and, if there’s enough batterycharge, you’ll power away in elec-tric mode and start the automaticpower-juggling cycle again.
If there’s one thing the hybridvariant does share with its conven-tional 3008 cousin, it is a rotarycontroller allowing you to changetransmission modes.
To counter the need for a gen-uinely costly all-wheel drive
system, Peugeot adopteda traction control sys-
tem dubbed Grip Con-trol. The Hybrid4model goes a step fur-ther; you can switchbetween all electric(EV), power, auto and
4x4 modes. Of course, ‘forcing’ the
car into EV mode will onlylast for as long as there’s suffi-
cient charge in the battery, whichmeans driving gently to achieve the‘couple of miles’ goal. The flipside isthe power mode, which unleasheseverything the 3008 has for maxi-mum acceleration and perform-ance, while the 4x4 mode
engages the rear axle for added trac-tion on slippery grass and muddytracks. Predictably, leaving the carin the auto mode seems to work wellduring general driving duties.
The technical competencedemonstrated by the 3008 Hybrid4is but one element of its appeal.Peugeot readily admits that itsfocus is on company car drivers as,with the base specification car out-putting 99g/km CO2, the tax bene-fits will be attractive. Also, there’sthe ability offset the full cost of thecar against company profits in thefirst year of ownership.
Not bad for a five-seat, 200 bhphigh-rise hatchback with the samekit as a regular 3008 plus Peugeot’srecently improved build qualityand premium cabin ambience.
Sure, the hybrid model won’t suiteveryone’s needs, but it’s a boldfirst step in the realm of diesel-elec-tric hybrids and shows plenty ofpromise.
IAIN DOOLEY
A bold step indiesel hybrids
TOP SPEED118mph
0-100km8.5 seconds
ECONOMY70.5mpg
C02104g/km when on 17-inchwheels. 99g/km CO₂ when on16-inch wheels.
ENGINE2.0-litre diesel unit develop-ing 163 bhp. Electric motordevelops 37 bhp.
TRANSMISSIONSix-speed automated manualtransmission as standard,driving the front wheels. Electricmotor drives rear wheels.
AT A GLANCE
“In an instantyou’ve got anall-wheel drivefamilycrossovervehicle”
