PEUGEOT has continued its impressive start to 2021 with the e-208 compact hatchback winning the ‘Electric Car of the Year’ title.
This award winning little PUG has been surprising the auto industry with its back to back awards since its launch in October 2019. In 2020 alone it won the European Car Of The Year 2020 award which shocked all of its rivals and then it won the Most Dependable Volume Brand in the annual J.D. Power UK Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), followed by the ‘Best Electric Car’ award at the Business Car Awards, What Car awards and also the Autocar Uk awards. It also took home the 2020 Red Dot Award in the ‘Product Design’ category.
This e-208 impressed the editors and judges at British fleet car website Company Car Today with its zero-emissions range, eye-catching design and high levels of technology to take home the ‘Electric Car of the Year’ title.
The e-208 was the first new generation, fully electric vehicle from PEUGEOT and it features a 50kWh battery connected to a 100kW (136hp) electric motor which is capable of providing a driving distance of up to 217 miles WLTP from a single charge. Supporting up to 100kW rapid charging, an 80 per cent charge can be completed in just 30 minutes (please check charging system needed for this) which makes it an ideal vehicle for fleet users looking for a low running cost vehicle during this pandemic. Its 0 per cent BIK rate (UK company car tax is called Benefit-In-Kind (BIK) tax, as the cars are seen as an additional taxable benefit that falls outside of a standard salary with its income tax and National Insurance tax contributions) also helps businesses save even further.
New Peugeot e-208 offers a lively, stimulating driving experience with its 100 per cent electric engine, available from launch:
- 100 KW (136 bhp) electric engine developing 260 Nm of torque (available from 0 km/h) for instant reactivity,
- silent engine, zero vibration,
- technology display on central screen (real-time drive train functional display).
New Peugeot e-208 proposes three drive modes:
- Eco: to optimize range
- Normal: optimum comfort for everyday use
- Sport: priority is given to performance and sensations, maximum power and torque (0 to 100 km/h in 8.1s).
Two braking modes are also available via the gear lever with appropriate battery regeneration:
- Moderate, providing a sensation close to that felt when braking with a combustion engine,
- Augmented, for controlled deceleration by means of the accelerator pedal.
New Peugeot e-208 offers the best thermal comfort on the market with:
- a high-power heater element (5 kW) powered by the HV battery,
- a heat pump and automatic temperature control in the passenger compartment, providing the same comfort standard as in a vehicle powered by a combustion engine. Vehicle range is preserved due to improved power efficiency compared to conventional climate control,
- programmable thermal pre-conditioning, controlled from touch screen or remotely by the MyPeugeot® smartphone application. Besides comfort, this function allows vehicle range optimization (the set temperature is reached more rapidly during start phases) and enables the optimum battery functional temperature to be attained sooner.
Its interior and boot-space are identical to the petrol powered version. The batteries, which take up a volume of 220L, are distributed under the floor pan in this new Peugeot 208.
Hallmark of the Peugeot brand, new Peugeot e-208’s running gear has been optimized and specific technical solutions have been applied (optimum mass distribution). This enables new Peugeot e-208 to achieve dynamic performances on a par with the combustion engine version.
New Peugeot e-208 is fitted with a 50 kWh large-capacity battery enabling a vehicle range of up to 340 km, according to the WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedures) certification protocol and 450 km according to NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). Linked to the passenger compartment cooling system, fluid-cooled temperature control enables fast recharging, optimized range and increased life-span. This battery is guaranteed for 8 years or 160 000 km for 70% of its charge capacity.
Charging modes are flexible and adapted to everyday use. Three charge modes are possible:
- using a conventional domestic socket or for a full charge in 16 hours, using a heavy-duty Legrand® Green Up™ socket, supplied complete with charging cable,
- from a Wall Box, providing a full charge in 5 hours 15 minutes for the three-phase version (11 kW) or in 8 hours for mono-phase (7.4 kW),
- using a dedicated public charging terminal: battery thermal regulation permits the use of 100 kW chargers, 80% of the charge being reached in 30 minutes.
PEUGEOT In Malaysia has recently changed its brand guardian. Nasim (the previous PEUGEOT brand guardian) gave up distributorship rights for Peugeot and other PSA brands Citroën and DS recently. The rights to sell new Peugeot vehicles now belongs to Berjaya Auto Alliance, a company formed under Bermaz and Berjaya Corp. Berjaya Auto Alliance will continue to service warranties, carry out aftersales service and distribute spare parts for the other PSA brands mentioned. Lets see if this new e-208 will be launched by Berjaya Auto Alliance in the near future.
