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Peugeot unveiled the first details of the hybrid powertrain for its FIA World Endurance Championship Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) class race car on Monday.
LMH is the new top-tier class in the WEC, featuring the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. LMH cars will compete alongside current LMP1 cars, with balancing rules of performance to create parity and competitiveness. The distinguishing feature of LMH cars is that they will generate road cars; Manufacturers must build 25 cars with the same powertrain before the second year of competition.
In a press release, Peugeot confirmed the Hybrid4 500KW name for its powertrain and some basic specifications. The powertrain consists of a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 2.6-liter V-6 gasoline engine and a 7-speed sequential gearbox that drives the rear wheels, and a front-mounted electric motor-generator, which gives the car all-wheel drive.
The V-6 generates 680 horsepower on its own, while the electric motor produces 268 hp, according to Peugeot. Power output is largely determined by the LMH class rules, which also specify a minimum weight of 2,270 pounds and how power can be implemented.
Peugeot LMH powertrain
For example, the rules limit output to 680 hp for most of a race, so the V-6 will normally dial back to 408 hp to allow some headroom for the motor-generator. However, the gasoline engine will be able to unleash its full power when the battery pack runs out, and is allowed a temporary 700 hp boost at the end of the straights with an empty battery.
The electricity is stored in a 900-volt battery pack developed by Saft, a subsidiary of the oil company and technical partner of Peugeot Total. The package is housed in a carbon shell behind the driver and under the fuel tank.
Peugeot will skip next year’s inaugural season, in which the Toyota GR Super Sport and the Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus 007 will face off. The French automaker plans to begin track testing in late 2021, with a view to entering the competition. in 2022. That means that Peugeot’s road car should be ready by 2023 at the latest.
Peugeot has a long history at Le Mans, achieving its last overall victory in 2009 against the then dominant Audi. The German automaker is also making a return to endurance racing, albeit in the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona Hybrid) class of the US-based IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
