PSA Group come clean about their real-world emissions secret
The Peugeot, Citroen and DS Automobiles Group have revealed their published factory economy figures are not accurate as a result of a test program with two non-government organisations.
The organisations Transport & Environment (T&E) and France Nature Environment (TNE) worked with the French manufacturer to produce reliable and reproducible test procedures after being audited by Bureau Veritas, a leading independent global testing, inspection and certification body.
Some 30 core models have been put through the testing program using a portable emissions measurement system installed on the vehicles, which were driven on open public roads in a variety of real-world situations. Conditions such as 25km urban, 39km rural and 31km on a motorway were used, plus with passenger loads, luggage loads, changing road gradients and the use of air-conditioning systems. These test measurements were devised from independent customer surveys and conducted under approval from T&E and TNE add gravitas.
According to AutoNews.com, the average emissions produced in testing were over 40 per cent more than promised by the officially promised figures.
This is a brave decision by the French automaker given little comment has been made by global manufacturers in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal, even though it related to NOX levels and the PSA Group test program is based on CO2 emissions. This point of difference is not likely to affect consumer perception however – emissions are emissions.
PSA Group plans to offer customers on their website a simulator model that will more accurately predict potential fuel economy figures relevant to how and where they drive. An application will also be provided online to customers in order to help manage fuel consumption.
PSA Group Executive Vice President of Research and Development Gilles Le Borgne said the motivation for the Group was transparency and will reveal more figures by the end of the year.
“The Group will publish figures on another 20 models by the end of the year and introduce a simulator allowing customers to reduce their fuel consumption,” he said. “PSA Group has published real-world consumption data for 30 Peugeot, Citroen and DS models, in line with the commitment to transparency.”
Greg Archer, Clean Vehicles Director at Transport & Environment (T&E) said the new testing will be a wake-up call to other manufacturers.
“This real-world test provides more representative information to consumers than new laboratory tests, helping them to choose more fuel-efficient, low-carbon models,” he said.
Official test results:
Peugeot T&E test Promised Difference
L/100km L/100km L/100km
108 1.2l PureTech 82 BVM5 15” STD tyres 6.1 4.3 1.8
208 1.6l BlueHDi 100 BVM5 16” VLRR tyres 4.7 3.5 1.2
208 1.6l BlueHDi 120 S&S BVM5 16” ULRR tyres 4.7 3 1.7
2008 1.6l BlueHDi 100 BVM5 16” VLRR tyres 5.1 3.7 1.4
2008 1.6l BlueHDi 120 S&S BVM6 16” VLRR tyres 5.2 3.7 1.5
2008 1.2l PureTech 82 BVM5 16” VLRR tyres 6.4 4.9 1.5
2008 1.2l PureTech 110 S&S EAT6 16” VLRR tyres 7.1 4.8 2.3
308 1.6l BlueHDi 120 S&S BVM6 16” ULRR tyres 4.9 3.2 1.7
308 1.2l PureTech 130 S&S BVM6 16” VLRR tyres 6.6 4.6 2
308 1.2l PureTech 110 S&S BVM5 16” ULRR tyres 6.3 4 2.3
3008 1.6l BlueHDi 120 S&S BVM6 17” VLRR tyres 6.1 4.1 2
3008 1.2l PureTech 130 S&S BVM6 17” ULRR tyres 7.6 4.9 2.7
508 2.0l BlueHDi 180 S&S EAT6 17” ULRR tyres 6.3 4 2.3
Citroen T&E test Promised Difference
L/100km L/100km L/100km
C1 PureTech 82 BVM Feel 15” STD tyres 6.1 4.3 1.8
C3 PureTech 82 BVM Exclusive 16” VLRR tyres 6.3 4.6 1.7
C3 Picasso BlueHDi 100 BVM Confort 16” VLRR tyres 5.7 3.8 1.9
C3 BlueHDi 75 S&S BVM 15” ULRR tyres 4.9 3.0 1.9
C4 Cactus BlueHDi 100 BVM Shine 16” VLRR tyres 5.1 3.6 1.5
C4 Cactus PureTech 110 S&S BVM Shine 16” VLRR tyres 6.1 4.3 1.8
C4 BlueHDi 100 BVM Feel 16” VLRR tyres 5.1 3.6 1.5
C4 Picasso BlueHDi 120 S&S EAT6 Intensive 17” VLRR tyres 6.5 3.9 2.6
Grand C4 Picasso BlueHDi 120 S&S BVM6 Attraction 16” ULRR tyres 5.7 4 1.7
Grand C4 Picasso PureTech 130 S&S BVM6 Intensive 17” VLRR tyres 7.4 5 2.4
Berlingo BlueHDi 100 BVM 15” VLRR tyres 6.1 4.3 1.8
DS
DS 3 BlueHDi 120 S&S BVM6 Sport Chic 5 3.6 1.4
DS 3 PureTech 110 S&S BVM So Chic 6 4.3 1.7
DS 4 PureTech 110 S&S BVM So Chic 5.4 3.8 1.6
