Peugeot Exalt, "concept car" for the Paris Motor Show

Peugeot presents its concept car Exalt at the Paris Motor Show. It follows the same line as the Onyx, unveiled in 2012.

In April it was already present at the Beijing Motor Show, surprising visitors with its design and technology proposals. For the Paris Show, Peugeot has carried out a small revision of its concept.

The Exalt is a five-door saloon 4.70 metres long and only 1.31 metres high. The design has been carefully studied to achieve a very low drag coefficient. The materials are also one of the features of this car: the outer bodywork is made mostly of raw steel, except for the rear section, which uses an innovative fabric called “Shark Skin”, or shark skin, which improves aerodynamic efficiency.

The front is particularly aggressive yet sporty. The LED lights of the twin headlamps integrated into the front bumper give it an image that defines the brand. The grille, headed by the lion in its centre, gives the final design an elegant look.

At the rear, the grey colour of the shark skin, together with the red lights split into three strips, creates a very striking and distinctive image. The boot has a motorised tailgate that reveals a very low loading lip, where there is a solution called HYbrid-kick. It consists of a folding electric scooter which, according to Peugeot, “is ideal for last-mile mobility”, providing fluidity to urban journeys.

If the vehicle draws attention for its exterior styling, the interior will leave no one indifferent. It is based on the Peugeot i-Cockpit concept, which delivers an intense driving experience.

The steering wheel, trimmed in leather and chiné fabric, is compact, and the elevated digital instrumentation sits on the driver’s line of sight for intuitive driving and information reading.

Extending from the centre console, two retractable touchscreens rise from the dashboard. The upper screen gives access to functions such as the on-board computer, the Hi-Fi system or navigation, while the second screen features a permanently visible strip to control the automatic climate control and the Pure Blue system.

The Pure Blue system is an innovative air treatment process. When parked and the vehicle is unoccupied, it purifies the cabin surfaces by diffusing bactericides and fungicides. When the vehicle is driven, an active filter treats the air before it enters the cabin, removing volatile organic compounds and fine particles. Occupants therefore travel in a pure atmosphere in all circumstances.

On the dashboard there are also nine toggle switches. Two are to the left of the steering wheel and seven to the right. They are fully configurable, and the driver can assign whichever functions they wish to each of them.

For example, the black light system integrated into the headlights can be activated by one of the toggle switches. This type of lighting makes road markings stand out on the carriageway.

The bucket seats are upholstered in chiné fabric combined with leather on the sides. Both the driver and any passengers will sit in seats of this type.

Raw steel is also present in the cabin interior. Another material is “Newspaper Wood”, which replaces, in Europe, the Asian ebony used in China. It has the characteristic colour of the salmon-toned business pages, as this material is made from recycled newspapers. Carbon fibre is replaced by basalt fibre. Saving materials and reducing waste is the maximum goal in this respect.

The engine responsible for moving the Exalt’s 1,700 kg is the HYbrid4 plug-in propulsion system, with a total output of 340 CV. The bonnet houses a 1.6-litre THP engine producing 270 CV developed by Peugeot Sport. At the rear, the multi-link axle carries a 50 kW electric motor. This motor also recharges the battery through regenerative braking.

HYbrid 4 technology allows driving in pure electric mode, pure petrol mode or hybrid (petrol-electric).

It may be a concept car, but it could well become a saloon sold by Peugeot in the future, or one on which the brand’s next models will be based.

Source | Peugeot