Better Economy with Diesel Hybrid

The first car maker to start making loud noises about bringing such a hybrid to market was Peugeot and the French company is set to deliver on the hype with the 2011 release of its diesel-hybrid, the 3008 MPV. This car features the company's new HYbrid4 technology with a diesel engine powering the front wheels while a separate electric motor powers the rear ones. The system is expected to offer a 35 % cut in CO2 emissions and significant fuel savings over a traditional non-hybrid diesel engine. Drivers will also have the added benefit of all-wheel drive. Peugeot and its partner Citroen are also intending to roll out the system across their ranges from 2012.

What's surprising though is that the 3008 could be beaten to UK showrooms by a diesel-hybrid from that bastion of good taste and desirability, Mercedes. Perhaps we shouldn't be so surprised though after all, it was Mercedes who proclaimed last year that by 2015, none of its cars will run on petroleum. It's a giant claim but with the arrival of the E300 Hybrid predicted for 2011 with other models featuring the engine to follow soon after, it's a claim worth taking seriously.

The new E-class won't be a fullblown diesel-hybrid but a 'mild' one. This means the car will feature a twin-turbocharged 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine that will power the car at all times but with the added benefit of a separate electric motor to assist it. This might not sound as revolutionary as the set-up in the 3008 but with a predicted combined mpg figure of 56, Merc's luxury saloon will have fuel figures more in keeping with a city runabout and that's no bad thing.

With these two car manufacturers from opposite ends of the market taking diesel-hybrids seriously, expect to see other makers bringing out their own versions over the next few years. And as usual, buyacar will be on hand to land you the very best deal on that dream diesel-hybrid.