Test Car Specifications
Model tested: Peugeot e-2008 GT
Pricing: £40,550 (e-2008 starts from £36,350)
Motor: 115kW electric motor, 54kWh (gross) battery
Transmission: single-speed, front-wheel drive
Body style: five-door, five-seat SUV
CO2 emissions: 0g/km
Range: 250 miles (WLTP)
Top speed: 93mph
0-62mph: 9.1 seconds
Power: 156hp (system total)
Torque: 260Nm (system total)
Boot space: 405 litres (seats up), 1,467 litres (seats down)
Styling
The e-2008 (and its regular petrol-powered brother, the 2008) has been among the more avant-garde small crossovers since it was introduced. Compared to the more conventional lines of a Renault Captur or even a Ford Puma, the e-2008 boasts an almost Picasso-like mix of angles and lines, and a flat roof that gives it a very distinctive look.
Perhaps wisely, given the car’s sales success — it has at times been the best-selling crossover in Europe — Peugeot has for the most part left the e-2008’s styling well-enough alone, making just a few small tweaks to keep it fresh.
The most obvious of these is at the front, where there is a new grille and new lights. These are very slim LED units, which on our GT-spec test car come with three individual light pods within the headlight lens. Below these are new LED daytime running lights, which used to be a single fang-like line running down into the bumper, but which are now three individual parallel lines. These are meant to look like claw marks, an allusion towards Peugeot’s famed lion badge.
Speaking of which, that lion, which was a chrome badge before, now gets a profile shot of his head in a black, shield-like badge. Peugeot first introduced this with the 308 hatchback, and now it’s the e-2008’s turn to get the slightly retro-look badge. There’s also a new ‘e’ badge on the front wheel arch to signify that this is the electric version, and at the back there’s a new set of very slim, jewel-like LED brake lights. You can also get a new set of alloy wheel designs, in sizes ranging from 16 to 18-inches. Needless to say, this top-spec GT model gets the biggest wheels.
Interior
Again, there are not many changes to the e-2008’s cabin, but Peugeot has made some detail improvements. The biggest of which is a revamp of the software for the big 10-inch central touchscreen, which is standard across the range. This marks a significant improvement over the old software, which was maddeningly clunky and awkward at times. We’re still not keen on the fact that the e-2008’s climate controls are on a separate menu, rather than permanently displayed on a bar on the screen (or better yet, real physical buttons) but for the most part the touchscreen is now far easier to use. The digital instrument panel — standard on all but the base Active model — also gets a slight revamp.
On the centre console, there’s a new toggle-style gear selector which, oddly, comes with a small carbon-fibre style wrist-rest. That carbon-fibre effect continues across the dashboard of this GT model, and it adds to a pretty enticing cabin ambience. The dash’s complex, multi-layered design takes a little getting used to, as does the ‘i-Cockpit’ combo of high-set instruments and a small, hexagonal wheel which sits in your lap, but in general it’s very successful.
Practicality
With boot space of just over 400 litres, and an adjustable boot floor, the e-2008 is pretty practical for a small crossover. It's also quite surprisingly roomy in the back seats. Even with the front seats set for six-foot occupants, there's reasonable legroom and head room in the back seats, although not really enough space for a third rear seat passenger in the middle. Door bins are usefully big, and there's more storage in the (quite small) glovebox and the storage bin under the front seat armrest.
Performance
The critical question here is whether or not Peugeot has really managed to extend the e-2008’s useable range from the previous, slightly lacklustre 193 miles to the much more useful, claimed 250 miles of this new model.
In general, we’d say that it’s been successful in doing so, albeit we say that on the basis of a test drive in Spain that included almost no motorway driving (the sternest test of any EV’s battery) and was conducted in warm and sunny conditions. Mind you, it was so warm and sunny that we had the air conditioning going almost full-blast the entire time.
Having started with an indicated range of exactly 250 miles on a 99 per cent charged battery (increasing fractionally to 255 miles when we activated Eco on the driving mode selector), we set off on a test route that included urban mileage, steep climbs up twisting mountain roads, and some briskly-driven dual-carriageway sections. Returning at the end of the drive, we still had 66 per cent battery charge remaining, and in indicated range of 161 miles left. On 80 per cent charge, we had an indicated range of 186 miles — so in other words, the e-2008’s more powerful, but more efficient, 156hp motor and its new 54kWh battery, have about as much real range on an 80 per cent charge as the old one had at full charge. We’d call that a decent result.
When you need to charge, the e-2008’s battery will charge at up to 100kW from a public DC fast charger (assuming you can find one…) but it only has 7.4kW AC charging, which compares poorly with Renault’s 22kW AC charging system.
In terms of performance, how quick the e-2008 feels depends very much on which setting you have selected for your driving modes. Eco restricts the motor’s power and torque, so performance is adequate, but you can feel that the car is quite sluggish at times. In Normal mode, you get more power and torque, and in this form the e-2008 bowls along nicely, without any real sense that it’s being restricted (even though it actually is). This is the driving mode that arguably makes most sense, most of the time. For overtaking, you’ll definitely want to flick it into Sport to unleash the full 156hp and 260Nm, but even then, Peugeot has clearly tuned the motor to deliver its power and torque in a linear, almost gradual, fashion, without the sudden thump of instant torque that other EV motors tend to have.
Ride & Handling
Peugeot’s tiny steering wheel comes in for a lot of criticism, but one thing it definitely does do is add a sense of initial urgency and swiftness to the steering. From the smallest of inputs at the wheel, the e-2008 seems to dart into corners with no small eagerness.
Sadly, behind that initial sensation, there’s little enough here for a keen driver. Ultimately, the steering lacks for feel and feedback, and although there’s plenty of front-end grip, the e-2008 feels just a touch inert to drive. Not bad — it corners smoothly and swiftly — but without much in the way of enthusiasm.
Then again, this is a car that’s most likely going to mostly be used for short urban hops, and at those it excels, with a calm, if firm, ride quality and an impressively tight turning circle. The only downside is that visibility isn’t great, thanks to the shallow side glass and chunky roof pillars.
Value
Value may not be the e-2008's strong point. At a basic price of £36,350 for the cheapest Active-spec version, it's £7,000 more expensive than the hugely impressive MG 4 Long Range, which offers another 30 miles of range on one charge. OK, so the e-2008 has better overall quality than the MG, and a slightly larger boot, but the Active-spec model doesn't get the standard digital instruments, has steel (not alloy) wheels, and only rear parking sensors.
Our GT test car clocks in at a chunky £40,550 but at least you do get full LED headlights, a 3D effect for the digital instruments, a reversing camera, wireless phone charging, a contrast black roof, keyless entry, and part-leather seats.
Verdict
The e-2008's updates have been well-judged. The styling looks slightly sharper, without taking away any of the original model's drama, and the interior remains more practical than that of many rival products. Most significantly, the new battery and motor combo do seem to have liberated a more useful real-world range for the e-2008 (although we need to test it at home, in winter, on the motorway to be sure). It is quite expensive, especially compared to Chinese-built rivals, but the e-2008 remains a compelling electric car choice.
