Sunday, August 5, 2012

CESA 2012 interview : Marc Duval-Destin (PSA), part three

Marc Duval-Destin is Research and Advanced Engineering VP at PSA Peugeot Citroën. For CESA blog, he talks about next generation powertrains.

"The evolution of powertrains is very similar to the evolution of species on Earth. OEMS have to adapt themselves to a new landscape, due to regulations for CO2 and pollution. Thanks to new technologies, in the field of combustion or admission, the average consumption will be reduced by 10 to 15 per cent in 2020. That's very important in only ten years.
Of course, electrification is the main topic today. Up to 8 billion dollars have been invested in battery technologies in the whole world. There is now a very large offer, from Stop & Start to range extender, including battery electric vehicles and plug in hybrids. I think that all these solutions will compete for the next decade. After 2020, the market will then choose the best options.
We already have electric vehicles and we have identified synergy effects in that field in our alliance with General Motors.
At PSA, we have decided to focus on diesel hybrid. This technology has been deployed on several vehicles and have been well welcomed by our customers. It is still a premium feature, but we are working to make it more affordable.
Our company has been also the first to promote Stop & Start system. We think it can be improved, in conjunction with a 48 volt architecture. It would be possible then to offer new functions, such as  active coasting and boost effet, with a 15 per cent reduction of CO2 emissions. The european approach for hybrids is more cost effective".

Next, Marc Duval-Destin will be discussing CESA event.