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Citroen Looks To Diesel Hybrid To Set New Fuel Consumption And CO2 Standards

Citroen has confirmed its plans to launch a diesel hybrid, which it expects will set new fuel consumption and CO2 standards.
Due to arrive in 2011, the diesel hybrid will first appear in the Citroen DS5, which Citroen promises will deliver a drop of up t


Citroen has confirmed its plans to launch a diesel hybrid, which it expects will set new fuel consumption and CO2 standards.

Due to arrive in 2011, the diesel hybrid will first appear in the Citroen DS5, which Citroen promises will deliver a drop of up to 35 percent in CO2 emissions and a ‘considerable’ fuel saving.

Citroen also plans to offer a new range of four-wheel-drives, offering drivers the choice of front-wheel-drive via the diesel engine, rear-wheel-drive through electric motors, or all-wheel-drive with both systems working together.

To get its diesel hybrid project underway, PSA Citroen has launched projects at its Mulhouse and Sochaux factories to pilot engineer new production lines and processes, enabling the installation of the company’s new rear axle assembly and to set it up for fitment to several models in the Citroen range.

Citroen has developed and refined its hybrid technology using a number of its models, including a standard Citroen C4 and WRC car Hybrid4: a hybrid version of Citroen’s C4 rally car, driven by factory steerer Dani Sordo.

CITROEN CONFIRMS DIESEL HYBRID, STARTS PILOT PROCESS ENGINEERING

Citroen has confirmed that it will launch a diesel hybrid in 2011, which will set new standards for fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and that it will arrive in the Citroen DS5, the third of Citroen’s new premium range of cars.

The use of a diesel hybrid not only promises a considerable fuel saving and a drop of up to 35 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions compared to a same-sized car, it will also enable Citroen to offer a new breed of four wheel drive, with the driver having a choice of front wheel drive from the diesel engine, rear wheel drive from electric motors or all wheel drive with both systems engaged

It is this new breed of drivetrain that has required PSA Citroen to launch projects at its Mulhouse and Sochaux factories to pilot engineer new production lines and processes to enable not just installation of the new rear axle assembly but to also allow it to be fitted to several models across the Citroen product line.

This is a highly complex process, because it involves the assembly of both conventional mechanical parts and newer electrical components. By using a full-scale 3-D model to create a virtual workshop, team leaders and technicians are identifying ways to drive improvements in both efficiency and quality.  These simulations are designed to optimize use of floor space, enhance workstation ergonomics and generally facilitate handling and assembly while streamlining logistics flows. Their outcomes will also be used to prepare precise specifications for suppliers.

Over recent months teams at the Mulhouse plant’s mechanical assembly unit have deployed a series of lean manufacturing projects aimed at improving the organization of the workshop that will assemble the new electric drivetrain. PSA Citroën’s lean manufacturing enables efficiency, quality and costs to be optimised through teamwork.

Citroen has demonstrated its hybrid technology in a unique range of vehicles, including a standard Citroen C4, an advanced concept car, the C-Airscape that set the stage for the new Citroen C5 and, most recently, a hybrid version of its world-beating Citroen C4 WRC rally car, that has proven that this technology has a role to play in the highest levels of motorsport.

Launched at the Geneva Motor Show this year, the Citroen DS Inside heralds a new range of Citroen models that emphasize creativity, strong and emotional styling, quality in presentation and finish, unique driving sensations and functional qualities. The first production car to revive one of Citroen most famous names will the Citroen DS3, set for launch next year. This new model, which will set above the Citroen C3, will be matched by the launch of Citroen DS4 and, with the new hybrid drivetrain, the Citroen DS5 in 2011.

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