A little recent news on the Peugeot hybrid. Interesting idea or concept with using the electric motor to provide a pseudo 4WD. As for the photo - it speaks for itself. Yes, Toyota - this is what hybrids should look like so that your hybrid car buyers can finally not be accused of driving dorkmobiles.
Well, this is undoubtedly a good looking car... Although I like the look of my Prius very much too, perhaps because I am a kind of a dork . The concept seems interesting, I am looking forward to see some more details. On the other hand, I used to work as a car mechanic when I was a student and I have very grave experience with the reliability of the French cars, and especially Peugeots . Lot of my friends regretted buying one because of endless reliability issues, even with brand new cars - especially with crappy electronic systems. I would never trade my Toyota for a Peugeot - but this is just my humble opinion based on my personal experience :mod:, other people may have different point of view .
It's definitely an amazing looking car. The electric motor out back type of all wheel drive is pretty cool and it is offered on that great big new Lexus hybrid SUV.
what are the sales numbers for this car? Hmmm, so not as many as the "popular" Prius? Too practical? Yes I'd love to drive it...but the market is NOT calling for yet another pie in the sky out of reach (translated...too expensive), 2-door sports hybrid. I'd say the next HUGE hybrid market has to be mini-van...not sexy sports cars for 1% of the population. Sales numbers tell the story.
You saw this thread right? http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-hybrid-news/67500-2011-sienna-hybrid-get-lithium-sanyo.html ...sorry, I should've looked for your name but I was in a hurry. I know this is unrelated but I thought I'd post this in here too: Toyota Sienna Hybrid - Review | Hybrid Cars
Maybe Toyota can buy the exterior styling designs from them, and make this the exterior of a new MR2 hybrid.
Nope. HyHi uses HSD on the front wheels and electric-only for the rear, as I recall. Peugeot's design is front wheels driven from the turbo-diesel engine only, rear wheels from the electric motor only. Transitions to and from electric-only driving change which wheels are driven! This is a seriously inferior design brought about by Peugeot's unwillingness to license HSD.
It also resembles the Mitsubishi iMIEV Sport Aire all-electric concept car. Of the two, the Peugeot is the smoother, more finished looking. Unfortunately, the chances of seeing either on the road in the USofA is small. The Sport Aire being only a concept car and the Peugeot being a diesel.
Or Peugeot could licence the HSD or, even better, the whole Prius and give it a new bodystyling . It would not be the first case; For example, Peugeot 107 is a rebraned Toyota Aygo with different bodywork. My mother has one; If you look under the hood, you can see Toyota signs all over the place. On the engine, the ECU... Everywhere. It's all Toyota. Citroen C1, Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo are all the same car; The Citroen even looks exactly the same as the Peugeot, bar the logo on the hood of course . All three cars are manufctured at the same plant and even share a common production line - the plant is located only some 4km (2.5 miles) from my parents' house . The plant is a joint venture between those three companies, although its mostly Toyota; I had some working relationships with them when the plant was being built, and all the guys were Japanese or some local employees and contractors. I haven't seen a single French guy around.
Ah, I should have read the details. I assumed the issue was electric-only back wheels, which is the same on both. I never would have though of a stupid stunt like powering the front wheels only from the ICE. What a dumb idea. Tom
