Peugeot has already showed us their new 908 diesel Le Mans racer. But at the Geneva Motor Show they went a step further and revealed a diesel-hybrid version of that car.
The Peugeot 908 HYBRID4 is by the looks of things challenging the mighty Porsche 918 RSR. These cars can very well form the future of motorsport, in which the environmental strategy is more important than winning!
The HYBRID4 technology in this car tries to use the otherwise wasted kinetic energy of braking to help with the acceleration, thus making the car more fuel efficient. The system employed by the Peugeot 908 HYbrid4 recovers and stores the kinetic energy generated under braking, before feeding it back into the driveline during acceleration. Using this recovered energy in this way significantly improves the efficiency of the power-train. It will also be possible to run in electric only mode along the pit-lane and it is this mode that will be used for the car’s homologation.
It is like an overboost function that for a short period of time provides boost of 60kW (80hp). Except there is no button to activate it. In other words it’s done automatically when the drivers floor the throttle as he comes out of a corner.
Peugeot 908 HYbrid4 – Technical Data
Chassis: Carbon monocoque
Gearbox
Sequential, hydraulic, six forward speeds plus reverse
Internal combustion engine
Diesel, V8 HDi FAP
Cubic capacity: 3.7 litres
Power: 550 horsepower
Hybrid system:
Power: 60kW (80hp)*
* During energy delivery phases only
Delivery of recovered energy:
- To the rear wheels;
- 500kJ between two braking phases;
- Energy stored in lithium-ion batteries;
- Automatic delivery of energy under acceleration (no “push to pass” function).
It is also possible to use the electric mode only along the pit lane.
Dimensions
Length: 4,640mm
Width: 2,000mm
Wheelbase: 2,950mm
Height: 1,030mm
Weight: 900kg
