Citroën enters the plug-in hybrid segment with the C5 Aircross Hybrid Concept

Alternatives to traditional fuels are the order of the day, something that both potential customers and the brands themselves know. With this premise, car manufacturers are applying the saying reinvent or die, which fits perfectly with Citroën’s philosophy. The brand of the double chevron has always stood out for its unconditional love of technology, an area it has always taken great care with in its models and which today is no different. Now, Citroën has decided to venture fully into the world of hybrids, something it has chosen to do with the C5 Aircross in the form of a concept car.

Hybridisation emerged as a new way to reduce consumption and emissions without the need to do away with combustion engines. The success of this technology was such that over time it has been applied across different automotive segments, and Citroën has wanted to apply this approach across its own range of models, with the brand’s latest SUV – in prototype form – being the one tasked with getting to know hybridisation.

Taking advantage of the Paris Motor Show, Citroën will present to the world what will very soon become its first plug-in hybrid vehicles. The C5 Aircross is the latest addition to the French brand and for this reason it has been presented as the ideal candidate to experience a PHEV powertrain, which will gradually be applied to other models in the French brand’s lineup.

Citroën has confirmed that its main goal is for 80% of its model range to offer this type of powertrain among its options by 2023, while by 2025 all of its models will be electrified. However, the French brand has decided to show its progress in a more discreet way, letting us know only what its concept car offers.

It will be in early 2020 when Citroën begins producing the brand’s first hybrid SUV, thus becoming a turning point for the brand, as it will launch a new PHEV model each year from that point on. But in the meantime, we can observe significant advances in this prototype, such as ZEV mode, which will allow customers to drive in 100% electric mode with a range of 50 kilometres. At the same time, the 180 CV PureTech petrol engine has been used, which gains power up to 225 CV and 337 Nm of torque thanks to the presence of the electric motor.

Charging time will be between 4 h (14 A socket) and 8 h depending on the type of connector, allowing customers to have the full potential of the Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid available the next day. In this way, the French brand will fully enter the hybrid segment, which is closely linked to the electric one, a type of vehicle Citroën is already accustomed to working with.