Peugeot 208 Hybrid Air Latest To Aim For French 117 MPG Target

French automaker Renault is expected to show a concept vehicle at the upcoming Paris Auto Show capable of hitting 117 mpg combined.

Not one to be left out, rival Peugeot will also show a 117 mpg concept at Paris--albeit one that may not be too far from production.

It stems from a French government target that requires automakers to produce a 117 mpg production vehicle by 2020.

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The number isn't as arbitrary as it sounds, as it equates to 2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, the measure of fuel economy used across most of Europe.

According to Autocar, the 208 Hybrid Air is based on the regular 1.2-liter PureTech production model, but incorporates Peugeot-Citroen's 'Hybrid Air' technology.

This compresses and stores air using hydraulic pumps as the car drives along or decelerates, air which can then be used to assist the 208 under acceleration.

In effect, it works very much like a regular hybrid drivetrain, without resorting to a bank of heavy batteries. Power from the engine and hydraulic pumps is sent through an epicyclic transmission, similar to the 'e-CVT' you'd find in a Toyota Prius.