Peugeot’s electrifying 3008 could be perfect hybrid4 you
mid-sized SUV with a 1.6-litre engine paired to 13.5kWh battery driving two electric motors, one at the rear and one at the front.
Together they deliver a resounding 300PS, which gives this all-wheel drive plenty of push.
It comes with several modes to choose from – electric is ideal for driving in towns and cities, especially as councils are becoming increasingly aggressive at driving down emissions.
But take the 3008 outside the city and it can get to 84mph under pure electric power alone.
In hybrid mode, petrol consumption is optimisedp and the car will alternate betwbetween electricity and conventional fuel. In sport mode, the electric power suppsupplements the petrol. And in off-roadr mode, it uses both or it can be drivend solely in electric mode if therthere is enough charge.
BBrak i ng and decelerat i ng recurecuperates the charge while you drivedriv and you can shift the automatic geargea box to “B” mode for more severe brakingbra and, therefore, greater energyene regeneration.
AllA of this results in a CO2 figure for the 3008 of just 29g/ km, which is impressive for a car of this stature with a top speed of 146mph.
We tested it on the roads around Si t ge s in Cat a lon i a , Spa in, experimenting with all the modes, and it proved remarkably capable. It climbed narrow winding roads, was skilled over rocks and slippery shale and loved the motorway.
It underlined Peugeot’s philosophy that electrification does not mean less performance.
What it might mean is learning a new way of driving. For example, with the gear in B mode, as soon as you take your foot off the gas, the car starts to markedly slow down, eventually coming to a stop, almost enabling pedal driving.
And, of course, you can connect it to your phone and carry out various functions remotely – like warming it up in winter.
It sounds different but, once you start driving electrified cars like the 3008, it all begins to come together naturally and, who knows, perhaps you’ll actually find that this car is the one that you want… ooh, ooh ooh.