Peugeot Is Coming Back to Le Mans and This Is the Hybrid Powertrain It Will Use

It has been almost ten years since the French manufacturer abruptly pulled the plug on its World Endurance Championship race program ahead of its inaugural season.

Citing financial difficulties, the carmaker focused its efforts on competing in the Dakar Rally, which it won three consecutive times, from 2016 to 2018.

Partnering with long-time collaborators and lubricant experts Total, they released details about their upcoming WEC race machine. The newly developed powertrain called Hybrid4 500kW is fully compliant with FIA’s recent regulation changes and aims to help the French carmaker get back on top in the world of endurance racing.

Building on its vast experience in motorsport, Peugeot’s Sport division has developed a new 2.6-liter (156-cu in) twin-turbocharged 90-degree petrol V6. The compact 165-kg (364-lbs) mid-mounted unit will deliver 680 hp (500 kW) to the rear wheels.

It will be aided by a front-mounted 268 hp (200 kW) motor-generator unit which will drive the front wheels. Thanks to the advanced energy management system, it will be able to use all the available battery energy instantly while also employing the latest energy recovering systems.

Developed jointly by Peugeot Sport and Saft, a Total subsidiary, the high-power 900-volt battery pack is built to deliver maximum power at a blink of an eye using high-capacity storage cells.

It will be integrated into a carbon casing behind the driver, inside the car’s monocoque chassis. The team of engineers designed the pack to deliver the perfect balance of durability and performance during demanding 24-hour races.

The new race machine will use a seven-speed robotized sequential gearbox controlled by paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel.

It will also use an in-house developed brake-by-wire system that enables the driver to modify the level of engine-braking produced by the electric motor under deceleration and the force applied by the pads to the rotors to achieve the optimum electric braking split between the electric and hydraulic systems.

The cooling fluids and lubricants play an important role in any form of racing but are especially critical in the world of endurance racing. Developed by the experts at Total, these prototype long-life fluids are specifically developed for the new powertrain and the extreme conditions it will need to race through for extended periods.

Although the ICE develops 680 hp (500 kW) on its own, and the electric drive adds another 268 hp (200 kW), the new car won’t be able to use the combined power of both units due to strict regulations that limit output to 500 kW.

Moreover, the car must be able to pull away from a standstill only using the ICE. The use of the electric drive is forbidden at speeds below 120 kph (74.5 mph).

To juggle with these restrictions, the car will use an advanced management system that will limit the ICE output when working in tandem with the electric drive and unleash its full power at low speeds or in instances when the battery is completely depleted, using its regenerative capabilities to recharge it by harnessing and converting the available kinetic energy.

The return of Peugeot Sport to the world of endurance racing is a huge step forward for the sport, increasing competitiveness. Future road-going Peugeot vehicles will also benefit from the technology pioneered in motorsport.