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Diesel Electric Hybrid Cars
These hybrid cars use a combination of a diesel engine and electric motor for power generation. Diesels have advantages over gasoline engines when delivering constant power for long periods of time, suffering less wear while operating at higher efficiency. The diesel engine provides high torque, and combined with hybrid technology, may offer substantially improved mileage. Most diesel vehicles can use 100% pure biodiesel, which is one category of biofuels, so they can use but do not need petroleum at all for fuel. Diesel-electric hybrid drivetrains have begun to appear in commercial vehicles such as buses during the 2000s. So far, however, no diesel-electric hybrid passenger cars are currently in mass production, although planned production exists. Of the planned models, Peugeot is likely to reveal a diesel-electric hybrid version of its 308. So far, Peugeot Citroën has three concept cars featuring a diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain: Peugeot 307, Citroën C4 Hybride HDi, and the Citroën C-Cactus. In addition, Volkswagen has made a prototype diesel-electric hybrid car that has achieved 2 L/100 km (140 mpg imp/120 mpg US) fuel economy, but in test conditions only. General Motors has a concept model Opel Astra Diesel Hybrid, but no schedule yet to release it. So far, production diesel-electric engines have mostly just appeared in mass transit buses. As an example of these deployments, Fedex in the USA and Iveco in Europe, have begun deploying a small fleet of Hybrid diesel electric delivery trucks.
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