We all know, down in our suspicious hearts, that there’s a miracle vehicle or propulsion system out there that, for some probably profit-related reason, has been kept a deep, dark secret. That’s why we’re so ready to believe in gas pills, cars that create their own hydrogen from water and run forever on nothing, and other such rabbits plucked from invisible hats. But until now, no respected automaker has promised something so esoteric.
As of now, however, just such an automaker is framing its latest promised vehicle as embodying “one of the great propulsion secrets of the automotive industry.” At least, that’s how one of Peugeot’s engineers relayed the story to Tim Lewis of the Guardian newspaper. He told the reporter about a breakthrough technology, so incredible that the car it powers would deliver more than 80 miles per gallon, would be cheaper than a Toyota Prius, and has new technology so sensitive that Peugeot’s engineers couldn’t even tell their wives and children about it. Yes, this is Peugeot’s Hybrid Air, launched at this year’s Geneva Auto Show with the latest promise to “change the automotive industry from this day forward.”
The only problem with all of this is the fact that Peugeot’s Hybrid Air system isn’t really so clever at all.