PSA is forging closer links with Mitsubishi; after the Outlander became the C-Crosser and 4007, now Peugeot has teamed up with the Japanese to launch the i0n – an electric car based on the electric Mitsubishi i-car.
The zero-emissions Peugeot i0n (combines a zero with ions, geddit?) will go on sale at the end of 2010 and builds on the French company’s expertise with EVs stretching all the way back to 1995 when it launched the 106 Electric.
So what’ll the new Peugeot i0n do?
It’ll go 80 miles on one charge of the lithium ion battery, making it ideal for urban commuting and short shuttles, says Peugeot. It’s a four-door, four-seater but a nippy-sized 3480mm long for city duties.
Top speed is put at 80mph, but we doubt many Peugeot i0ns will see such dizzying speeds. You’ll certainly try out the six-hour recharge if you do V-max it regularly. That’s on a domestic supply, but if you use a fast-charge system you can top up 80% of charge within just half an hour.
So Peugeot’s chasing the electric car buck now?
Sort of. Think of the i0n as a quick fix – a short cut to getting an EV to market. The French are holding greater store by their diesel hybrids, including the 3008 HYbrid4 due in spring 2011. It mixes 200bhp, four-wheel drive and just 99g/km of CO2. Sounds like a more practical solution to Europe’s needs in the short term.
The new i0n will be shown at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show.