Peugeot Unveils Hybrid Onyx Supertrike Concept

French manufacturer Peugeot is not very well known on this side of the Atlantic. Sure, some people may have heard a thing or two about Peugeot’s cars, but it’s easy to forget the company also produces scooters. Next week, Peugeot will present its new Onyx supercar concept at the Paris Motor Show, but it won’t be alone. By its side will be a bicycle concept and the Onyx Supertrike concept pictured above.

The Onyx Supertrike is still just a design concept at this point but it does have some interesting features. With two wheels on the front end and one at the rear, the Onyx Supertrike resembles the Piaggio MP3. The Onyx however has a large hump in the middle.

This hump is part of the Onyx Supertrike’s transformer function, allowing it to convert from a sporty trike to an urban commuter. In sporty mode, the rider leans over the hump and positions his feet on the rear footrests. Remove the hump however and the Onyx Supertrike resembles the MP3 with feet forward positioning and step-through scooter design. We’re not sure how practical this feature is, but again, it’s a design concept, not a production model.

The Onyx Supertrike is powered by a hybrid drive system comprised of a 400cc internal combustion engine and a 45 kW electric motor. No horsepower numbers were listed but Peugeot claims the Supertrike produces 42.8 ft-lb. of torque. Peugeot also estimates fuel consumption of 2 l per 100 km, or about 117.6 mpg.

Of course, the Supertrike is just the side dish to the main course, the Onyx supercar which is equipped with a 3.7-liter V8 diesel engine pumping a claimed 599 hp to the rear wheels while a 60 kW electric motor powers the front axle for all-wheel-drive capability.