Peugeot has announced it is building the world’s first ever hybrid car to use a diesel rather than a petrol engine. Set to star in the upcoming 2010 Paris Motor Show, the Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 has the same futuristic look as the 3008 already sold in Australia, but now backs up that look with technology to match.

Despite appearances to the contrary, the standard Peugeot 3008 isn't an all-wheel drive SUV, rather it uses only front-wheel drive. But, cleverly, the 3008 HYbrid4 is a four-wheel drive. That's because the front wheels are connected to the diesel engine, whereas the rear wheels are driven by an electric motor.

The turbo-diesel engine is a 2.0-litre unit producing a peak of 120 kilowatts. Strong torque is what diesels are all about and this engine doesn't disappoint, producing 300 Newton metres at 1580 rpm. The electric motor’s maximum outputs are 27 kW and 200 Nm, the latter being generated at the bottom end of its rev range.

Theoretically this makes for a car that can have 500 Newton metres of torque, which is the sort of figure normally requiring a large V8 engine. However, the Peugeot system isn't set up to develop peak outputs from both powerplants simultaneously. So don’t expect a vehicle that's primarily designed for low fuel consumption and emissions to be aimed at the drag-racing set – Peugeot engineers quote a figure of 8.8 seconds for the zero to 100 km/h sprint.

It will be possible to run the Peugeot HYbrid4 on electric power only for up to 4.5 kilometres, however, our previous road testing experience with petrol-electric hybrids show they seldom go anywhere near the theoretical maximum distance. We will need to wait until we can drive one to report on this important facet of the Peugeot's design.

Nickel-metal-hydride (Ni-MH) batteries will hold energy that's provided by the petrol engine, as well as storing energy that is recovered when the HYbrid4 slows down.

HYbrid4 can also run on diesel only and on a combination of diesel and electric.

The French marque certainly has the right credentials to design this sort of vehicle. Peugeot built the first ever diesel passenger car, in 1928, and has sold more pure-electric cars than any other marque, totalling over 10,000.

Peugeot has measured the fuel consumption on the combined European cycle to be a mere 3.8 litres of diesel per hundred kilometres. Carbon dioxide output is 99 grams per kilometre.

Sales of the new diesel-electric Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 are expected to begin in France and elsewhere in Europe early in 2011. Peugeot Automobiles Australia would like to import the HYbrid4 here but a definite decision is still to be made. If HYbrid4 does come to Australia it would be in the third quarter of next year.