Thinking of hybrid cars is synonymous with thinking of Toyota, the largest manufacturer of this type of vehicle and which has led the way in the sector since the end of the last century. However, there are brands that join the bandwagon of HEVs and MHEVs, and irrefutable proof of this is Citroën. And it is that the firm of the two chevrons has everything ready to launch the Citroën C5 X Hybrid on the market, or what is the same, a light hybrid variant of which not only promises to complicate things for the Japanese brand, but also to stone the SUV, the fashion segment.
It was a few weeks ago when the CEO of Citroën, Vincent Cobée, announced his clear intentions to put an end to this type of vehicle. And to do so, he was not only going to resort to electric cars, but also to the concept that are implanting cars like the C5 X, C4 X or Peugeot 408 and that we will surely see later implanting in other Stellantis firms such as Opel, DS or Alfa Romeo.
The imminent Citroën C5 X Hybrid wants to be Toyota’s worst nightmare
Be that as it may, the next step at this crossroads is given by Citroën with the imminent C5 X Hybrid, a vehicle that will share mechanics with the 3008 and 5008 hybrids. This will be located below the plug-in hybrid versions already used by the offspring of the French firm, and surely will be responsible for replacing PureTech combustion engines which, to date, have not enjoyed any hybridization.
And it is that this will happen because the Citroën engineers have taken that same block as a starting point. This will work with a 48V mild-hybrid system that will increase power from 130 to 136 hp, while the torque will remain at 230 Nm. But not only will this electric motor provide power, but it will also reduce consumption and emissions.
According to the brand, fuel consumption will be reduced by 15% compared to the combustion engine to dry. This will undoubtedly be an incentive to purchase, especially for those who do not want or can not make the leap to the PHEV. Furthermore, thanks to the presence of a mild-hybrid system in the bowels of the Citroën C5 X, it will now display the DGT ECO label.
In turn, the entire complex will be managed by a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, which will seek to optimize consumption compared to manual transmission. And although it is true that autonomy in electric mode is not something that micro-hybrid vehicles can boast of, the C5 X will be able to make very short starts and trips – there is talk of up to a kilometer – without using the combustion engine .
Now, when will the C5 X Hybrid hit the market? At the moment the firm has not given specific dates, but it will be throughout the year 2023 when what is probably the most interesting variant of the French will go on sale.