Peugeot e-208 Allure Premium
ROAD TEST
The electric powertrain revolution is now beginning to transform one of Europe’s biggest car market segments. Battery power has been gaining traction in other market niches over the past decade, but increasingly tough legislation and the rapid reduction in technology costs mean that electric power is no longer purely the preserve of bigger, faster and more expensive machines.
One of the latest electrified superminis to join the fold is the Peugeot e-208, which aims to deliver zero-tailpipe-emissions running without compromising the style, practicality and driving dynamics of its combustion-engined cousin. Closely related to the Vauxhall Corsa-e, the e-208 has been designed from the outset to be electrified and, as a result, packaging and space are unaffected. Factor in a powerful lithium ion battery and class-leading rapid-charge option and the e-208 promises the range and usability to convert those buyers who have thus far been EV sceptics.
DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
★★★★B
The e-208’s CMP (Compact Modular Platform) underpinnings have been carefully conceived to accommodate an electric motor and substantial battery pack without significant re-engineering. The car’s lithium ion battery pack is housed beneath the floor in what is effectively an ‘H’ pattern, the 18 cells located widthways under the front and rear seats and offering a total gross storage capacity of 50kwh. At 217 miles on the WLTP test cycle, the e-208’s range is at the upper end among cars of its type and should serve as a strong selling point.
Overall, the battery pack adds an extra 300kg to the 208 compared with a typical piston-engined model for an all-in weight of 1455kg, but efforts have been made to locate the extra mass as low as possible and to keep it within the wheelbase.
In line with the original design philosophy, mechanical modifications are limited, with the biggest change being the adoption of a 12mm-wider rear axle to accommodate the rear cells. As on the standard car, this is a fairly simple torsion beam and coil-sprung affair, while at the front, there are Macpherson struts.
Driving the Peugeot’s front wheels is a 134bhp permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor, making this the most powerful of all 208s for now, with a very healthy 192lb ft of torque available from zero revs. The car’s single-speed transmission features both standard Drive and Brake modes, the latter instantly reversing the polarity of the motor for a powerful regenerative braking effect when you lift off the accelerator. A further neat touch is the addition of a heat pump for the air conditioning and heating system, which helps reduce energy use by up to one-third over a traditional resistive set-up.
In a further effort to minimise potential buyers’ shock at making the jump from internal combustion, designers have made sure the e-208 looks almost identical to the standard car. The most obvious differences are the gloss black wheel-arch extensions that are required to cover the wider track; e-208 badges set into the C-pillars and on the front grille; and a dichromic lion logo that changes colour depending on the light falling on it. Overall, it’s a handsome and well-proportioned machine – arguably the French firm’s best small car effort for years.
INTERIOR
★★★★C
Peugeot has been on a premium push over the past few years, challenging established upmarket brands for both finish and eyecatching design, and with the 208 it has certainly succeeded in the latter, the slick dashboard design being a particular highlight.
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Δ the now familiar i-cockpit layout, the e-208 gets a high-set instrument cluster that sits above a smalldiameter steering wheel – although, as with other similarly equipped Peugeots, some drivers might find that the wheel rim still obscures some of the dials. And that’s a shame because, in this Allure Premium model, the TFT display ahead of the driver is enhanced by 3D graphics, the main information such as the digital speed readout effectively ‘floating’ just above the screen. It’s another conspicuously novel touch, but some testers liked it.
The Premium upgrade on our test car means the addition of a 10.0in infotainment screen that sits centrally and is angled towards the driver. Below this is a line of neatly arranged and easy-to-reach piano keys that provide shortcuts for the various audio, nav and climate controls. Yet while soft plastics are used for the major touchpoints and
the switchgear features a pleasing mix of gloss black and brushed metal finishes, there are still too many low-rent materials in evidence around the cabin for the car to strike a consistently high impression of perceived quality.
Peugeot’s commitment to packaging the EV running gear as unobtrusively as possible has made the most of what’s available when it comes to space and practicality but, in some areas, that’s still not a great deal. Low-set front seating provides reasonable leg and head room, although passenger space in the rear isn’t as good as in other superminis. There are plenty of handy stowage spaces around the car plus no fewer than four USB (including USB-C) ports. The boot is also unchanged over the standard car, which means the same highish load lip but also a useful 311-litre capacity, which stretches to 1106 litres with the rear bench folded.
PERFORMANCE
★★★★C
That familiar EV calling card of instant, torque-rich acceleration is present and correct in the e-208, its smart step-off making it a particularly effective performer in town driving. And with just a single-speed reduction gear transmission, acceleration is delivered in a seamless surge, with no pause for clutch take-up from standstill or for any gearchanges. The Peugeot’s ability to zap away from traffic lights has the potential to leave its driver, and those of other, piston-engined cars in the vicinity, a little bamboozled.
Like similarly powerful electrified rivals, the e-208 is at its best at low to medium speeds, where the car feels almost hot hatch quick. Above 50mph or so, acceleration tails off fairly sharply, at which point it feels no more potent than a mid-range
naturally aspirated petrol equivalent. The Peugeot will cruise comfortably at the motorway limit, but it requires surprisingly large throttle openings to do so and that has the expected negative knock-on effect on the range. Engaging Sport mode (there’s also Normal and Eco) increases the sensitivity of the throttle pedal for greater responsiveness.
Pull the stubby gearlever back from the ‘D’ position into ‘B’ and you engage that more aggressive regenerative braking mode, with full off-throttle delivering enough retardation to trigger the brake lights and allow true ‘one-pedal’ driving. Get your anticipation right and you should only need to touch the brake pedal in the last few metres before slowing to a stop. This is doubly useful because there’s still some tuning of brake pedal progression and feel needed. Smooth stops in the e-208 require delicate footwork.
One area where the Peugeot scores against rivals is in its refined performance, helping it to take full advantage of the near-silent power delivery of electric motors. Often these hushed mechanicals highlight other noises in the car, but not so with the e-208, which does a fine job of isolating occupants from wind and road noise. (There’s an acoustically tuned windscreen as standard.)
RIDE AND HANDLING
★★★BC
You sit pleasingly low in the e-208, which always helps when trying to foster a connection between car and driver. Like the standard version, there’s some springiness to the steering off the straight-ahead, but there’s decent weight and the combination of the small-diameter rim and relatively quick rack means the Peugeot responds promptly and accurately to your inputs.
The softness of the suspension is what you’ll notice first, the car exhibiting a fair degree of roll on turn-in yet quickly controlling the movement and then taking a neutral, four-square stance through corners as that torsion beam rear axle takes its share of the lateral burden. Driven briskly, there’s a fluidity to the way the Peugeot goes down the road that’s reminiscent of French hatchbacks of a decade or so ago.
Drive a little harder and that extra mass starts to tell more punitively. The e-208 pushes wide in corners as the 195-section tyres lose out in the battle to stop nearly 1500kg travelling straight on. Lifting the throttle restores order, but it’s a fairly lazy response as the nose tucks back into line. There’s no real handling adjustability here, just safety and predictability.
Body control is compromised, too. The soft damping causes some float over undulating surfaces and, when
really pressing on, mid-corner bumps set in motion a noticeable corkscrew effect. The e-208 is a capable steer, then, but not one that rewards like, say, the Mini Electric.
On the plus side, the combination of mass and suppleness gives the Peugeot a remarkably grown-up ride for this size of car, the e-208 smothering bumps with surprising plushness. It also does so quietly, with nothing more than a muffled thump reserved for the biggest potholes and interventions. As with the handling, it lacks ultimate control, getting floaty over bigger crests, but somehow this sensation is in keeping with the car’s rather laid-back everyday character.
BUYING AND OWNING
★★★★C
On paper, the e-208 is an expensivelooking supermini, particularly in the swanky Allure Premium guise tested here, which stands at £27,565,
even after the government’s £3000 plug-in car grant. It’s not expensive by the more specific standards of emergent EVS, though.
Of course, potentially much lower running costs will help to offset the higher purchase price and, for business users, there is currently zero benefit-in-kind taxation to pay. At a rate of around 16 pence per kwh, charging the e-208 using a domestic power source from flat should set you back around £8. Peugeot claims a full charge will deliver up to 217 miles of range, although we found between 170 and 190 miles is more realistic.
That said, that’s still a useful level of autonomy, plus the range is rarely affected by the use of ancillaries such as the air-con. It’s also worth noting that the e-208 is one of the few small EVS available with 100kw rapid charge potential, this £300 upgrade allowing an 80% charge in just half an hour from a compatible public charging point. ◊