The French car maker debuted two concept cars at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show, which each featured a different type of hybrid system that will power future Citroens.
The Citroen C-Cactus is a C4-sized concept powered by a combination of 51kW 1.4-litre four-cylinder diesel (HDi) engine and 22kW electric motor. Citroen claims the C-Cactus's fuel consumption is a remarkable 2.9 litres per 100 kilometres, with just 78 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted every kilometre.Citroen
The Citroen C2 and C3 city/light cars will use the 1.4-litre diesel-electric hybrid, and the Citroen C4 will use the same 1.6-litre diesel-electric hybrid previewed by French partner company Peugeot in its 308 Hybrid concept.
In the Peugeot 308, the 1.6 hybrid is claimed to use 3.4L/100km with CO2 emissions of 90g/km. The similarly sized Toyota Prius, currently the world's most popular (petrol-electric) hybrid, has inferior figures of 4.4L/100km and 120g/km.
Bigger models such as the mid-size Citroen C5 and large C6 luxury car will employ a version of the UrbanHybrid system debuted in the Citroen C5 Airscape Frankfurt show concept.
The Airscape produces 150kW and 440Nm from its 2.7-litre V6 diesel that's teamed with a six-speed automatic gearbox. The drivetrain features stop-start technology to reduce fuel consumption and emissions when the car is stationary or barely moving.
The V6 engine shuts off if the Airscape is travelling at less than 6km/h and the driver is pressing on the brake pedal. The engine re-engages automatically as soon as the driver takes pressure off the brake.Brisbane Motor Show 2007
It means the Airscape uses no fuel while at a standstill, while Citroen claims emissions are reduced to just 24 grams per kilometre in the combined cycle.
Citroen believes its hybrids will be more appealing to consumers and more environmentally friendly than the Toyota Prius hybrid car.
"The Toyota Prius is a Toyota Corolla-sized car but twice the cost [of a Corolla]," says Edward Rowe, spokesperson for Australian Citroen importer, Ateco. "With the best will in the world, that's a difficult challenge to sell [to buyers].
"Hybrids are inherently expensive, but what the Citroen C-Cactus concept shows is that while Citroen can't reduce the cost of the drivetrain it can reduce the cost of everything else.Brisbane Motor Show 2007
"The number of parts used for the Citroen C-Cactus's interior have been reduced to 200 - half the number of those used for the C4.""
Rowe says development costs for Citroen's hybrid models will also be lower than the Prius because while the Toyota hybrid uses a unique, low-volume-production body, the French car maker's hybrids will simply slot into existing body styles such as the C4 hybrid.
The Citroen C4 small car will be the first to adopt a hybrid drivetrain, expected to launch in 2008. The C4 hybrid could reach Australia by the end of 2008.
Brisbane Motor Show 2007
