The French carmakers Citroen unveiled their Hypnos concept car at the Paris Auto Show and making it a reality means it will become world’s first fully functional diesel hybrid when it goes in to production in 2011. The Hypnos’s drivetrain will be based around a conventional 200 HP 2.0 Liter turbodiesel driving the front wheels. While a 50 HP electric motor provides additional thrust for the rear rollers. A combination that Citroen claims will return 62.7 MPG.

At the moment nickel hydride batteries are powering the electric motors, but the next generation is lined up to receive a set of more environmentally friendly lithium ion batteries. Citroen hopes that this hybrid setup can be applied to gasoline engines as well.

In an interview with AutoCar, Frederic Poil, the man in charge of Citroen’s hybrid powertrain project, was quoted saying that "With this combination we believe it is possible to build a car with the fuel consumption and emissions of a 1.6-liter engine, but the power of a 3.0-liter engine."

Citroen Hypnos first hybrid diesel into production by 2011 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 30 April 2009 10:00 EST.

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Citroen will unveil at the Paris Auto Show the Hypnos concept car, a hybrid vehicle that is blurring the line of sports coupe and SUV (kinda like the BMW X6.)

Citroen calls this car a hybrid, but has not yet indicated what technology it is utilizing. What is known, and a little exciting for a hybrid, is the engine will make 200 bhp. Citroen says that the Hypnos will still keep green by giving high gas millage and low emissions (4.5 l/100 km and 120 g/km of CO2).

Press release after the jump.

Citroen Hypnos originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 3 September 2008 16:00 EST.

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