Troubling Return of Diesel at Peugeot and Citroën

We thought Diesel was forgotten and buried, yet here it makes a strong comeback in the Ludospace from Peugeot and Citroën.

Stellantis has embraced the electric transition better than anyone by choosing to develop a 100% electric Ludospace range, particularly with the latest Peugeot Rifter and Citroën Berlingo. In this respect, we must pay tribute to Carlos Tavares, who has stepped up despite his personal convictions, but for the greater good. However, the goodwill of the group seems to have hit the hard wall of reality. A family chooses a Ludospace for its practicality, of course, but also for its lower price compared to an SUV or a Minivan. With over 30,000 euros for Stellantis’s latest electric creations, the choice became less obvious.

As a result, sales have collapsed, and manufacturers like Toyota, which had retained a small Diesel version for its Proace, have licked their lips.

Hide this Diesel that I cannot see

We have thus discovered an easter egg in the Peugeot catalog with a Diesel version of the Peugeot E-Rifter equipped with the famous 1.5 BlueHDi producing 100 hp with a manual transmission. Not available across the entire range, of course, but on the entry-level short version priced at 27,650 euros, which is still 10,300 euros less than the 136 hp E-Rifter electric version. Even after the ecological bonus is applied, it remains much cheaper and, of course, much easier to use with a significantly higher range. Not everyone is ready to switch to 100% electric; this is an undeniable truth.

This week repeated itself with a Citroën ë-Berlingo reverting to a simple Berlingo with the Diesel BlueHDi 100 with a 6-speed manual gearbox and BlueHDI 130 with an EAT8 automatic gearbox. And this time, a 7-seater version is indeed available as an option! This offer, which is limited in volume, allows, according to Citroën’s own words, to satisfy “those who have an active life, looking for a model that is a bit more accessible and offering great freedom of movement.” In summary, a model suited to the Ludospace clientele… Tough.

By forcing manufacturers too much, legislators have compelled them to follow a path that their customers are not yet fully ready to follow. In his recent letter to Europe, Luca de Meo called for a principle of technological and scientific neutrality. Rather than dictating “technological” choices to manufacturers, he wants them to be given the goals to achieve but not how to achieve them. When politicians stop believing they are smarter than the experts in the automotive world, perhaps we will stop walking on our heads.