Against all expectations, the Stellantis group stopped marketing the Citroën Berlingo, Opel Combo Life and Peugeot Rifter in their petrol and diesel versions. These recreational vehicles, now only available in electric, are victims of the standards for reducing CO2 emissions.
End valve for the thermal versions of the Citroën Berlingo, Opel Combo Life and Peugeot Rifter. To everyone’s surprise, the 1.2 engines PureTech and 1.5 Blue HDi have disappeared from the catalogs. If you were going to buy yourself one of these minivans, you will have to choose the electric variants ë-Berlingo, Combo-e Life and e-Rifter. This measure does not affect utility derivatives.
Respect the CAFE objectives
Taken in the last days of December, this decision is not due to the attractiveness of these models but quite simply to the European regulation of reduction of CO emissions.2, called CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy). Indeed, the latter provides that, every year, each manufacturer reduces its average carbon dioxide emissions. A fear for brands, and even more so in 2021, with the semiconductor crisis. It forced them to favor deliveries of electrified vehicles to stay in the nails. For 2022, the Stellantis group has therefore chosen to sacrifice its recreational vehicles including CO emissions2 are penalized by their weight and their physique as a mover. For example, a Peugeot Rifter fitted with the BlueHDi 1.5 diesel engine of 130 hp consumes on average 0.5 l / 100 km more than a 3008 fitted with the same unit, and emits 5 g / km of CO2 Moreover. In addition to the Citroën Berlingo, Opel Combo Life and Peugeot Rifter, the Toyota Proace City Verso is also affected by this announcement. It will be the same for their future cousin, the Fiat Doblo.
The small death of Stellantis ludospaces
Stellantis is thus anticipating a year which will once again be marked by the shortage of parts. The absence of light hybridization (mild-hybrid) and especially of simple hybridization is also detrimental when the group takes out its calculator. The first technology mentioned will not arrive until 2023. If the drop in emissions has not completely condemned these MPVs, it is just as since this type of vehicle is overwhelmingly purchased in diesel. The 136 hp electric version, marketed since October 2021, will have a hard time attracting families, especially because of its price (around € 11,000 more than the Blue HDi 100, bonus not deducted) and its limited range (280 km) . Suffice to say that for Stellantis ludospaces, mass is said. Renault and his Kangoo Combispace rub their hands.
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