Peugeot may well be the first team to run a hybrid vehicle at Le Mans and it looks like it will be a diesel, too. New Peugeot CEO recently told the French paper L'Equipe that a diesel-hybrid prototype is currently under development and that it may make some trial runs as soon as this June at Le Mans. Collin also said the car would begin racing in 2009. Peugeot Sport team manager Serge Saulnier, however, is being a little more cautious, acknowledging that a diesel hybrid is in the works. However, Saulnier would not confirm when the car would appear in public. Peugeot has already shown several diesel hybrid concepts based on production 307s and 308s and has acknowledged that they are planning to introduce such a powertrain in the next few years. Toyota may also be making a return to Le Mans as soon as 2010 possibly with a gas-electric hybrid. Let's just hope they bring some of these cars over to the American Le Mans Series and really spice things up.
[Source: AutoWeek]
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1. You don't think they are hyping their diesel race cars in hopes of selling diesels on the streets, do ya?
Well! I don't think a diesel street car is a good buy in the United States based on the complication of the technology, the high prices of the cars and the high price of diesel fuel. The idea that using diesel fuel along with gasoline to help offset our dependency on foreign oil makes sense on paper until you start looking at the costs, then it makes you turn away and want to stamp the paper "cancelled." Diesel fuel is fast becoming the fuel of the rich especially when it's used in top of the line Audis, Mercedes, and sells higher than premium. If I owned a car company, I would be working as fast as possible to develop electric cars and leave the diesel for airplanes and trucks and the gasoline for the uninitiated.
I believe the future of the United State's energy security depends on how soon the federal government can define and support an energy policy that leads as soon as possible to the use of solar energy for power generation and the use of plug in electric cars and electric trains for transporting people. Of course that's not going to happen for at least 9 more months for one obvious reason, Bush is still in office.
Posted at 6:57PM on Mar 28th 2008 by Lad