Among the most impressive eco-friendly concept cars that made their debut by the dozens in Paris was the awkwardly named Peugeot RC HYmotion4. The innovative and rather sensual hybrid four-door coupe combines a rear-mounted, 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine (based on the same unit used in the Peugeot 207 RC and MINI Cooper) developing 218HP that powers the rear-wheels with a front-mounted 95HP electric motor that drives the front-wheels for an overall output of 313HP.
The electric motor is powered by lithium batteries which are recharged during both deceleration and braking. Unlike most other hybrid systems, the front and the rear power units in the Peugeot are not connected mechanically. Instead, the hybrid drivetrain is controlled automatically by electronics. According to the French automaker, the RC HYmotion4 can be driven either in electric or petrol engine mode only, or with both engines combined making possible a maximum output of 313HP.
Peugeot claims that the four-seater sedan can sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62mph) in a mere 4.4 sec, to 1,000m (0.62 miles) in 22.8 sec and on to a top speed of 295 km/h (183mph). And if that isn’t enough to warm you up, Peugeot says that the 4.716 meter long RC HYmotion4 consumes on average just 4.5 lt of fuel for every 100 km which translates to 52.3 mpg US.
Maybe sometime in the near future Peugeot will finally decide to make a premium sedan like the RC HYmotion4 that people will be interested in buying instead of wasting its time and money with ill-fated proposals like the 605 and 607.
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