PLUGGING THE GAP (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_peugeote2008_2024

By Jonathan Crouch

Jonathan Crouch drives the latest version of the E-2008, the all-electric variant of Peugeot's 2008 small SUV. It's recently been usefully updated.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 68

Peugeot's E-2008 delivers the full-EV formula to the smallest segment of the SUV market - and in a trendy, very lifestyle-orientated package. It looks snappy and in this revised form, thanks to a few tech updates, does up to 251 miles between charges. Plus it has no practicality downsides over the combustion-engined version and comes with monthly payment finance you could justify. In short, there's plenty to like.

Backgroundword count: 134

The E-2008 small SUV was Peugeot's second full electric model, introduced in 2020 as the brand implemented its strategy of providing an electrified derivative of every one of its cars. It's introduction was part of the company's philosophy of 'Unboring the Future' by offering customers the option of switching to a full-electric powertrain without compromising on space, technology, looks or driving sensation.  It shares all the same engineering we've already also seen in the Stellantis Group's other small battery-powered lifestyle SUVs, the DS 3 E-TENSE and the Vauxhall Mokka Electric, designs that, like this one, share this Peugeot's sophisticated CMP ('Common Modular Platform'). Plus those same underpinnings allow for a new generation of 'big car'-style camera safety systems. It all sounds promising, particularly as recently updates have marginally improved efficiency: let's take a look.

Driving Experienceword count: 344

The tech spec here has been subtly finessed with this updated model, with the key improvement being the installation of a completely redesigned 54kWh battery, which has boosted EV range from 214 miles up to 251 miles. There's 18% more power for the electric motor it drives too, that output now up to 156hp. The older 50kWh battery is still offered, paired as before to a 136bhp electric motor and offering a 214 mile range. Either way, the electric motor works through the usual single-speed auto transmission you get with EVs. As usual with a battery-powered model, all of the available torque is pretty much developed at once (there's 260Nm of it) and this car simply hurls itself away from rest (it takes just a couple of seconds to crest the 30mph mark and 62mph is reached in only 9.1s), disguising the fact that (also like all EVs) this Zero Emissions variant has a bit of a weight problem - that drivetrain adds over 300kgs of bulk. On top of that, even this model's latest 54kWh lithium-ion battery is still significantly smaller than the 64kWh one you'll find in, say, a Kia Niro EV or a Hyundai Kona Electric, which accounts for the fact that this French EV crossover can't travel quite as far on a single charge as those two rivals. Of course, you certainly won't achieve anything like the quoted level of operating capability if you get anywhere near this EV's quoted 93mph top speed. Or if you habitually drive your E-2008 in the 'Sport' setting that'll be necessary to release the full power output we mentioned earlier. The quoted range figures will only be distantly possible if you instead engage a somewhat restrictive 'Eco' mode that drops power output right down to 83bhp. That's the setting you'll use in an E-2008 around town, an environment in which it makes a strange polyphonic sound at low speeds to warn unwary pedestrians of its impending approach. Above 18mph, all you can hear is a bit of tyre roar from the eco-moulded Michelin rubber.

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