Hybrid vehicles are slowly becoming a lot more popular these days and many of the worlds top vehicle manufacturers are getting on board and releasing their own interpretation of what a hybrid vehicle should be. Peugeot have come to the party with their Peugeot3008 Hybrid4 which is the worlds first full diesel hybrid road vehicle.

Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 shows hybrid power

The Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 uses a 2.0 liter 163 bhp HDi diesel engine along with a 37 bhp electric motor and Peugeot claim this combination is optimal for a hybrid vehicle. The Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 is able to switch from running on diesel to the electric motor automatically using a Start & Stop system. This system places the diesel engine on standby while it engages the electric motor and should there be a need, for example: more power required or low battery, the diesel engine can seamlessly kick in again.

The choice of running with a diesel engine over a conventional petrol engine, which is the norm for hybrid vehicles, was a no-brainer for Peugeot, as they claim the diesel is far more fuel efficient. And this is shown by the 3008 Hybrid4’s combined drive cycle fuel consumption of just 74.4mpg and as one would naturally expect from a hybrid, the effect on the environment is also reduced, with the CO2 emissions clocking at just 99g/km.

Choose your preferred driving mode

The Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 has 4 different operating modes which can be changed on the center console. The modes include:

Auto – Which controls the entire system automatically and maintains the vehicle for optimal driving and the best possible fuel efficiency .

ZEV – Which stands for “Zero Emission Vehicle” which sets the 3008 into only using the electric engine and thus naturally producing zero emissions.

Four-wheel drive mode – This mode combines both engines to power the vehicle, with the electric engine powering the rear wheels and the diesel engine powering the front wheels.

Sport – The sport mode, as can be expected enables quicker gear changes and higher engine speeds, once again with both the electric and diesel engine combining for improved performance.

The Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 is being produced in France and can be expected to hit dealerships in Europe of Spring 2011. With the 3008 model already being available in South Africa, it should hopefully be a formality that the Hybrid4 version follows suit.