Plug-in hybrids and electrics: this is how PSA is betting on electrification

At PSA, they are clear: by 2025, all vehicles sold by the group's brands will have a plug-in hybrid or electric version.

The race for electrification in which the PSA group with its four brands, Peugeot , citroen, Opel y DS, has only just begun. All the new models launched by the group's brands during this year 2019 have an electrified version, whether it is a plug-in hybrid or electric car.

And the plans call for all PSA vehicles on sale at that time to have an electrified version by 2025. Before that date, By 2021, PSA's electrified range will have 23 possible options.

Two platforms: plug-in hybrid and electric

The strategy to fulfill these plans involves the use of two platforms, . Currently, with these two platforms as a base, PSA Group now offers 9 electrified models, who enjoy the advantages of the DGT ZERO label.

plug-in hybrids

All of them use the platform called EMP2, intended for vehicles in segments D and C. It offers autonomy in electric mode of up to 59 km, and uses a combination of a 180 or 200 hp gasoline engine, with one or two 110 hp electric motors, depending on whether it is a version 4 × 2 o 4 × 4.

The battery can be 11,8 or 12,2 kW and recharging takes about 7 hours from a domestic socket, or 1 hour and a half from a fast-charging station. These are the PSA plug-in hybrids that use this platform.

• Peugeot 3008 Hybrid
• Peugeot 508 Hybrid
• Opel Grandland X Hybrid
• Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid
• DS7 Crossback e-tense

Electric

In this case, the platform used is the so-called CMP. It is a very versatile platform, which allows the electric versions to be manufactured on the same assembly line as the combustion engine versions of these models.

uses a 136 hp electric motor power and a 50 kWh battery, which allows to offer a range of up to 340 km. The recharging times are 8 hours in a wallbox, and can be charged up to 80% of the battery capacity in 30 minutes using Fast charging with a power of 100 kWAccording to studies managed by PSA, a range of 300 km according to the WLTP cycle covers the needs of users of these B-segment cars.

• Peugeot e-208
• Peugeot e-2008
• Opel Corsa-e
• DS3 Crossback e-tense

From 2020, PSA will be the only manufacturer to produce 100% electric vehicles in Spain, at its plants in Vigo (Peugeot e-2008), Zaragoza (Opel Corsa-e) and Madrid, which will begin manufacturing a new model.

Free2Move: services around the electric car

To make electric mobility truly attractive to customers, PSA is not only developing new models. It has also created its own mobility brand, Free2Move, which includes a whole range of services.

Among many others, Free2Move includes a vehicle-sharing service with electric-powered passenger and commercial vehicles, a Specialized contact center to resolve questions about electric carsso the possibility of renting vehicles with combustion engines for trips or situations in which it is not possible to use an electric car.

Here too comes into play the Charge My Car service, which provides easy and convenient access to More than 130.000 charging points in Europe, including 85% of the current points of the public charger network in Spain. It has a cost of about 5 euros per month, and allows the use of smart navigation functionality, with which you can plan your route based on the vehicle's battery charge status and the chargers available along the route.

In addition, PSA offers other services such as cBattery status certifications, which are very useful, for example, when it comes to selling or purchasing an electric car on the second-hand market.