Pure-electric 208 offers plenty of range – at a price
Same styling as the regular 208 supermini Official WLTP range of 211 miles
ALONG with petrol and diesel versions, the 208 will be offered as an EV. This small car is a big deal. The e-208 Active has a 134bhp electric motor under its bonnet that drives the front wheels.
Still, this pure-electric 208 is designed to look just like the rest of the range because Peugeot believes that electric is as normal a choice as petrol (or soon will be). Only a subtle blue-green tinge to the Lion logo on the Peugeot’s nose and rump, and the ‘e-208’ badging, give it away.
The official WLTP driving range for the e-208 is 211 miles; the 50kWh lithium-ion battery is charged via the CCS and Type 2 port located where you’d expect a fuel cap to be. Plug the e-208 into a 7kW charger and you’ll have a full battery in around seven-and-a-half hours, which will cost about £7 on an average home tariff.
Find one of the 100kW rapid chargers that are being rolled out across the UK, and you’ll be able to recharge the battery from 20 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes. The more common 50kW chargers at motorway services will take double that time.
The interior is as much of a strong point on the e-208 as it is on the regular car, although it’s a shame that the 311-litre boot doesn’t include dedicated cable storage.
What’s it like to drive? Effortless. You get the trademark constant stream of power, and while it’s not quick off the line, it’s punchier than most petrol alternatives.
There are two levels of brake energy recuperation; the default mode is very light and you’ll barely notice it. Nudge the gearlever and it switches into the more aggressive ‘B’ mode, which is great around town because it slows the car smoothly and predictably.
If you do need to stand on the brakes for harder stopping, be prepared to feel the pedal response change clunkily as it switches to the ordinary friction brakes about halfway down the pedal; it’s disconcerting if you’re not expecting it.
Overall, the e-208 feels like a car that sets out to relax rather than excite. You are aware that it’s heavier than its petrol siblings in the way it heaves a bit more over undulations (body roll is very noticeable in all of the 208s), but most of the time the suspension settles down and feels calm.
Pricing could still be an issue. The e-208 is expected to cost from just under £25,000 after the government grant, and that’s not a small amount of cash, even for a car that will get touchscreen nav, air-con, cruise control and more in its cheapest trim.
When an equivalent mid-spec 99bhp 1.2 petrol is likely to be some £7,000 cheaper, it’s still a big ask to go electric, despite the savings you can make on running costs.
Suave and likeable as the e-208 is, the yet-to-be-announced finance deals will make or break its attainability. Hopefully Peugeot can match Vauxhall’s confirmed Corsa-e deal of £270 per month after a £5,000 deposit. At least the e-208 should be a great option for company car buyers under the latest BiK tax regulations.
“The e-208 is expected to cost from just under £25k after the government grant. That’s a pretty penny”