China Car Times

Citroen released this combined CNG/Gasoline offering for the Chinese market place in mid 2006, via the Dongfeng Citroen tie up. The Elysee is a saloon made from a mish-mash of parts, the majority of its donors were the Citroen ZX, and the Citroen Xsara, put them all together and you have an Elysee.

This Elysee has a distinct difference from the usual ones, in the fact that it runs on duel fuels, CNG, and Gasoline. With gas prices going up and up recently, the Chinese market place is definatly open to some different fuels, but cant anyone make a good looking alternative fuel car? The Prius is ‘out there’ and expensive, the Honda Civic hybrid, whilst looking good, is probably going to cost you an arm and both legs when it launches in China. This leaves the market place with Elysee, it looks okay, and it performs pretty well too, it will do a top speed of 175kph, and gets to 100kph in a leisurely 11 seconds, but it gets there, and thats the important bit.

Sales of the CNG Elysee have been good (according to Dongfeng) especially here in Qingdao where 100 of the CNG powered vehicles are being operated as Taxi cabs (we’ll look out for them) Apparently when in ‘CNG Mode’ the cars fuel costs are 30 to 50% lower than when it uses gasoline. Want one? They are actually well priced at 99,800rmb.