Perhaps one of the most interesting yet overlooked cars being showcased at this year’s Geneva Motor Show is the Hybrid Air version of the Citroen C3 supermini. The car is being showcased alongside the regular C3 and features PSA’s recently announced Hybrid Air powertrain that is slated to go into production sometime in 2016. It will be offered at first only for B-segment models. It encompasses a gasoline power unit, compressed air, an automatic transmission with epicyclic gear train and a hydraulic motor-pump. PSA Peugeot Citroen say this powertrain is capable of running only on gasoline, only on air or a combination of the two.
Peugeot mentions that fitted with this powertrain, the C3 Hybrid Air (or the Peugeot 208) is capable of returning an impressive 81.1 mpg US (97.4 mpg UK or 2.9 liters / 100 km), while CO2 emissions stand at just 69 g/km. PSA says Air mode is recommended for daily urban driving when the car can run in this mode for up to 80 percent of the time as a zero-emission vehicle.
Source: PSA Peugeot Citroen
