Peugeot’s First Australian Electric Car Is a Hard Promote, Even After Taking it For a Drive

The Peugeot e-2008 is lastly coming to Australia, marking the corporate’s first consumer-oriented EV to return down below (after its electrical van debuted right here earlier this 12 months), though there’s one huge caveat – it’s the previous mannequin. It’s nice that extra automakers are bringing extra EVs to Australia now, with Peugeot anticipated to launch one other mannequin subsequent 12 months, however the e-2008 mannequin we’re getting is a robust promote. With unremarkable vary, a pretty customary infotainment system, and a value that places it in competitors with vehicles which might be merely a lot better, the Peugeot e-2008 faces an uphill battle within the native market.

We took the Peugeot e-2008 for a drive, on a day organised by the carmaker, and right here’s what we consider it after a few hours behind the wheel.

Peugeot e-2008 first drive: An previous mannequin for a new market

The Peugeot e-2008 is a complicated automobile that some might say isn’t proper for the Australian marketplace for its low vary, however for the primary part of this piece, I simply wish to entertain among the good the automobile has – as a result of it is, in a fundamental sense, a nice factor to drive, a stunning factor to take a look at, and a pretty cockpit to take a seat in. We’ll have loads of time for the unhealthy additional down.

@gizmodoau The Peugeot e-2008. Peugeot’s first client electrical automobile right here in Australia #peugeot #peugeote2008 #ev #electriccar #carsoftiktok #cartok #techtok ♬ Suns – Official Sound Studio

The e-2008 is powered by a single electrical motor, with a 0-100km/h time of simply 9.9 seconds and a front-wheel drivetrain on 18-inch wheels. For the drive day, the group of journalists I used to be alongside have been taken for a journey north of Sydney, alongside some very nice windy roads with some tight corners. There wasn’t any freeway driving, and I don’t assume I accelerated past 90km/h at any level on the drive day, however for those who wished a automobile that will merely be nice for a journey into the hills, the e-2008 might fulfill.

Driving it was easy and nothing was shocking in regards to the inside – I’d by no means pushed a Peugeot up till this journey, and I’m completely satisfied to report that nothing notably jumped out at me. In truth, that’s what I actually beloved – the automobile has a wise strategy to its button structure and infotainment system. Sure, many of the automobile could be managed by way of the 10-inch display screen within the centre of the console, however lots of the tactile and contact buttons throughout the center will operate as hotkeys to entry stuff on the display screen. The driver’s wheel (which is a stunning factor to take a look at) additionally has a nice structure to it, and the good cruise management was simply enabled and modified with a lever on the left.

For Peugeot followers, the corporate’s signature holographic show expertise is again within the e-2008, successfully making the dials behind the wheel look extra projected outward in the direction of the driving force. This felt a bit additional, however I didn’t thoughts the look of it.

The automobile is properly sized, and though the backseat is sort of small, it didn’t really feel restrictive. The roof could be opened, in contrast to many opponents on the value level it’s pitched at, and the inside and exterior trims are beautiful. It’s a gorgeous automobile, little doubt.

That’s actually all I can say that I used to be impressed with: If you need an electrical automobile, this is an electrical automobile, and it could also be a gorgeous prospect for Peugeot diehards that don’t wish to purchase a automobile from one other model.

But I’d significantly urge you to no less than take into account taking a look at others.

Peugeot e-2008 first drive: Out with the brand new, in with the previous

This is the previous mannequin of the Peugeot e-2008 – as in, the one which the corporate initially launched in Europe in 2019. Now, usually this wouldn’t be too egregious – Australia sometimes will get new vehicles after the remainder of the world, and in spite of everything, the Polestar 2 initially debuted in 2021, then got here to Australia in 2022, once we known as it our favorite automobile of the 12 months.

But the Peugeot e-2008 has simply obtained a facelift over in Europe, with the brand new mannequin providing extra vary (406km WLTP) and a far more engaging type.

In Australia, Peugeot is about to promote the 2019 e-2008 for $59,990, with a vary of solely 330km WLTP and a most recharging pace of solely 100kW through a DC connection.

This is an extremely robust promote. At the $60,000 value level, the Peugeot e-2008 is competing immediately with the 2022 Polestar 2, the Cupra Born, and the Tesla Model 3 (which simply obtained a facelift). All of those vehicles provide extra vary, extra attention-grabbing aesthetics, sooner 0-100km/h speeds, and sooner recharging speeds.

This is simply extraordinarily complicated to me. At this value level, the Peugeot e-2008 is the most cost effective European small electrical SUV in Australia, however this title feels more and more much less related. The 2022 BYD Atto 3 Extended Range, for instance, is accessible for $51,711 in Australia with 420km WLTP vary. The 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric Highlander Extended Range is accessible for $58,000 and has a 484km WLTP vary.

It’s troublesome for me to succeed in a verdict. I’ve solely been behind the wheel for a restricted time, so I solely have a restricted view of the automobile, however it has up to now did not wow me as a lot because the competitors. There’s extra to purchasing a automobile than driving vary, certain, however for the value you’d certain as heck wish to get your cash’s price. I’m hopeful that when the time comes for a correct overview, spending a week with the Peugeot e-2008 as an alternative of simply a few hours, I may change my thoughts.

The Peugeot e-2008 is accessible for order now for $59,9990 earlier than on-road prices. It’s out there in orange, pink, black, blue, white, and silver.