Peugeot 208 is one of the most widely recognized cars in Europe. It was first revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012 when it served as a successor to the previous Peugeot 207.
Per CarSalesBase, the petrol version has had a total of around 2 million sales ever since its release. At the Geneva Motor Show in 2019, Peugeot presented its second generation of 208, this time offering a full-electric powertrain. What separated Peugeot’s electric 208 from the competition (Volkswagen ID.3, Nissan Leaf…) was the fact that it looked identical to its petrol brother. The company was not interested in re-designing, re-inventing the wheel with the first electric 208. They wanted to offer the same functionality and looks so that the potential customer can decide solely based on the powertrain.
What’s under the hood of Peugeot e-208
Most similar to Vauxhall Corsa-e, as both of them have the same parent company, Peugeot e-208 produces power that justifies its looks. A quick rundown on some of the specifications offered by this car:
- 50kWh battery / 340 km (211 mi) of WLTP range
- 20% to 80% in 30 minutes at a 100kW DC fast charger
- 134 horsepower
- 0-100km/h in about 8 seconds
It has three driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport, allowing you to switch between them once you get bored. When it comes to brakes, the e-208 like other electric cars features regenerative braking. This simply implies that energy is recovered and put back into the battery throughout the slowing down process. Pressing the brake pedal accentuates this effect, but it also makes the pedal feel strangely spongy, making it difficult to slow down smoothly. There’s more body lean when taking corners compared to BMW i3 or Renault Zoe, but the steering wheel is fairly responsive so that you never feel unsafe in this car.
It is based on a new e-CMP platform, extending the interior space and battery capacity. The e-CMP platform’s packaging ensures that the electric 208 has the same back legroom and trunk capacity as the combustion engine variants, which was something the brand intended to achieve from the start. Despite this, the e-208 is estimated to be roughly 350 kg heavier than an ICE equivalent. A 3,7 kW charger will take 16 hours to charge the e-208. If, however, you’ve got a 22 kW Wallbox, the time gets reduced to 5 hours.
Design: Exterior and Interior
The e-208 has a striking style thanks to its sculpted bonnet, three-claw LED light patterns and noticeable rear piano black trim. The ‘e’ badging and distinctive Peugeot emblem that changes color in various lighting set it apart from the normal 208.
The small multifunction steering wheel, the adjustable 3D head-up display, the huge 10″ touchscreen, and the 7 “piano” toggle switches all contribute to the agile and intuitive driving experience. The shifter is seamless, just like the shapes found in this interior. As a bonus, you may personalize your interior atmosphere with a choice of internal ambient lighting in 8 LED colors.
Electric vehicles coming from France have an elegance that other brands can only dream of. We’ve mentioned DS 4 E-Tense in one of our previous posts, and how the interior was one of our favorites. Peugeot might take that spot now.
Driver Assist safety functions are also available, thanks to in-vehicle radars and cameras: lane-keeping assistance with road position selection, speed control, autonomous emergency braking and traffic-sign recognition, among others.
Peugeot’s new 3D dials are impressive. They show important information and are configurable, allowing you to pick what you want to view. The e-208’s dials are slightly different from regular car displays in that they display energy, range, and charge information.
Dimensions and Price
| Height | 1,430 mm |
| Length | 4,055 mm |
| Width | 1,745 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,540 mm |
| Weight | 1,910 kg |
Even though it’s only about 4 meters tall, Peugeot e-208 weighs close to 2 tonnes.
The cargo space for Peugeot e-208 comes to only 311 liters. We said “only” because, compared to the competition, it’s one of the smaller (VW Polo has 351 liters, Renault Clio 391).
Peugeot e-208 will be sold in multiple variants, depending on the country. In Germany, it’s offered in 6 option packages, and their prices can be found below.
| Peugeot e-208 Active | 31,950 € |
| Peugeot e-208 Active Pack | 33,150 € |
| Peugeot e-208 Allure | 33,650 € |
| Peugeot e-208 Allure Pack | 34,350 € |
| Peugeot e-208 GT | 36,250 € |
| Peugeot e-208 GT Pack | 37,150 € |
With these price points, customers might decide to go with another hatchback such as Nissan Leaf or Cupra Born. After all, the former costs about 24,000 € in its entry package option, almost 7,000 € lower than the entry model Peugeot. But, for those appreciating the French design, look no further than this car.
