Peugeot e-208 2020: reviews, plus battery range, UK pricing and release

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Peugeot’s first all-electric vehicle has arrived in the UK, giving the French carmaker a head start on one of its key rivals - the Honda e.

The EV, which made its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, is called the e-208 and is based on the carmaker’s new 208 hatchback. The e-208 also forms a fundamental part of an ambitious strategy, as Peugeot is aiming for an all-electric line-up by 2023, the Daily Express says.

The e-208 forms one of three powertrain options. The remaining two models being offered in petrol and diesel form - and there’s a good chance a sporty GTI version will join the range at later date.

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For now, though, here’s everything you need to know about the French EV:

Price and release

According to Auto Express, the e-208 will carry a price tag of £25,050. That figure includes that £3,500 Government grant given to electric car buyers.

The car is only available in GT spec, which comes with parking assistance, adaptive cruise control, Alcantara trim, heated front seats, a 10in infotainment system and Peugeot’s 3D i-Cockpit digital instrument panel, the magazine says.

Orders are open now, with deliveries due to get underway in early 2020.

Reviews

Step inside the e-208 and you’ll find that the interior is a “modern mixture of tactile materials and technology”, says CarBuyer. The electric car gets a 7in infotainment system, with a 10in version offered as an optional extra, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support throw in for free.

The infotainment system can be “confusing” at first, but the reviews site says there’s “no arguing with the level of kit on offer”. Allure trim, for instance, comes with wireless smartphone charging and 3D instruments.

On the road, the e-208 is “objectively good” and its 134bhp powertrain means it’s “quick enough by supermini standards”, says Autocar. However, there is “a sense of inertia that comes from lugging around more than 350kg of battery-electric powertrain and it is ever-present.”

The motoring mag also points out the e-208’s “stiffened suspension”, which can make the chassis feel “outright brittle” on bumpy roads. The car’s questionable dynamics are “a shame”, given that the car’s steering is well weighted and the accelerator is “nicely calibrated.”

In many ways, the e-208 capitalises on Peugeot’s recent successes with the 3008 SUV and 508 saloon, says Auto Express. The electric car’s design, both inside and out, is “outstanding” and the cabin quality is “impressive.”

“It’s just a shame then, that the driving experience is just a bit too unremarkable”, the magazine notes. With that said, the e-208 has its “own charm and more than holds its own in a crowded supermini sector.”

Design

While some car makers design their electric cars to stand out from their combustion-engined siblings, Peugeot has decided to match the e-208’s styling to the standard 208 models.

In an interview with Autocar, Yann Beurel, the 208’s design manager, said the car maker’s customers didn’t want the electric car to look different from the petrol and diesel models.

The only styling cues that distinguish the EV from the combustion-engined cars is a “body colour” front grille and a blue-green tint on the lion badges, he said.

The e-208 therefore has the standard version’s aggressive styling, sloping rear roofline and sculpted doors. It also has LED lights at the front and rear that are similar to those found on the 508 saloon and the recent 3008 SUV.

Interior

Inside, the electric hatchback has Peugeot’s trademark steering wheel, which is smaller than a conventional wheel, as well as a sleek centre console and dashboard design that has a more premium look than the current 208.

As car buyers might expect, the hatchback’s cabin has a pair of touchscreen panels: one above the centre console and the other in front of the driver. The centre console screen is used to access the car’s infotainment system, while the other displays the vehicle’s instruments and driving data.

Battery range and performance

The e-208 is powered by a 100kW electric motor (which is equivalent to a 134bhp combustion engine) that’s paired to a 50kWh battery pack, says CarBuyer. This delivers an all-electric range of 211 miles, a figure that has been calculated using the new WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) measuring system.

Buyers can charge the car either by plugging it into a standard three-pin plug at home (this can take over 20 hours for a full charge), or connecting it to a dedicated “wallbox” charger (which takes eight hours), the website says. Drivers also have the option of charging the car using a roadside 100kW “rapid charger”, a process that would top up the car’s battery by 80% in just 30 minutes.