Hybrid Air Tech Wins 2013 Innovation Award At Fleet World Honours

The breakthrough technology impressed the Fleet World Honours judging panel, who commented; “Citroën has a long-standing reputation as a technological pioneer, and Hybrid Air is the latest in an impressive lineage of green innovations, which have debuted in its product portfolio. This simple, but effective, solution will offer substantial efficiency improvements for Citroën's future superminis without the expense of hybrid batteries. A lot of other manufacturers will be wondering why they didn't get there first.”

Hybrid Air is a full-hybrid solution that combines a petrol engine, compressed air and hydraulic power to deliver exceptional fuel economy in excess of 94mpg. With no additional batteries, Hybrid Air delivers a reduced environmental footprint, more affordable pricing and no impact on cabin space.

Martin Hamill, Citroën UK’s Fleet Director, said; “Hybrid Air is a ground-breaking system that could revolutionise the automotive industry as one of the most viable future powertrains in terms of efficiency and affordability. We’re delighted this innovative technology has been officially recognised with this prestigious award and Citroën looks forward to introducing the many benefits of Hybrid Air to motorists in the not too distant future.”

Combining several technologies, Hybrid Air uses an intelligent electronic management unit to switch between three operating modes - Air Power, Petrol Power and Combined Power. Optimising energy efficiency in this way cuts fuel consumption and helps recharge the energy storage unit with compressed air.

A Citroën C3 fitted with a Hybrid Air drivetrain was unveiled at the 83rd Geneva Motor Show in March 2013. The prototype model achieves CO2 emissions of just 69g/km and a record-breaking 97mpg fuel economy over a combined cycle.