Peugeot has taken the (virtual?) wraps off a futuristic new single-seater hybrid racer that’s inspired by the Indy 500 and the 100-year anniversary of the “Charlatans” team that raced there between 1913 and 1919, resulting in 3 race wins.
Dubbed the Peugeot L500 R Hybrid and developed by Peugeot Sports, it’s a lightweight 373kW/730Nm plug-in hybrid that can accelerate to 100km/h from standstill in just 2.5 seconds.
The car uses a 270hp petrol engine, very likely the same 1.6-litre THP 270 unit found in the hot 308 hatch, only augmented by an electric motor to deliver that high combined power and torque figure.
Besides the inclusion of a holographic version of Peugeot’s i-Cockpit, there really isn’t much mentioned about the L500 R besides the fact that it’s a plug-in hybrid that’s also sort of single-seat racer that’s almost ridiculously low to the ground.
Its shape is a very futuristic interpretation of what a supercar could look like and is certainly very aerodynamic. The driver sits in a fighter jet-style canopy that’s accessed by lifting the entire roof, evidently.
Instead of renderings, it would have been quite the sight to see Peugeot debut an actual, in-the-flesh, working prototype of this L500 R Hybrid concept as the shapes and technology do not appear to be beyond the reach of today’s manufacturing techniques and the PSA Group’s powertrain pipeline.
Perhaps this is a far more appealing way for Peugeot to spread the word about it’s plug-in hybrid and electrification efforts to the public at large over the talk they’ve been peddling about new platforms and efficiency goals.
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