Test Car Specifications
Model: 2024 Peugeot E-308 GT
Price: 308 range from £28,050, E-308 from £40,050, GT as tested from £42,250
Motor: 115kW front-mounted electric motor
Battery: 54kWh lithium-ion, 51kWh usable
Transmission: single-speed reduction-gear automatic, front-wheel drive
Power: 156hp (Sport mode)
Torque: 270Nm
Emissions: 0g/km
Economy: 5 miles/kWh (quoted)
Range: 255 miles
0-62mph: 9.8 seconds
Top speed: 106mph
Boot space: 361-1,271 litres
Styling
Want to play spot the difference? Off you go, then: bring up some pictures of a Peugeot 308 PureTech on your computer screen, then see if you can get corresponding images of the E-308 to sit alongside. We'll give you 60 seconds to circle all the differences... right, done that? How many did you find? Five? Ten? More? Wrong. There are just two.
Yes, in a method of normalising the electric vehicle (EV) in the minds of buyers, Peugeot has dropped all its previous zero-emission signifiers, like lower-case 'e' badges everywhere and dichromatic finishes in key visual places, and simply made the E-308 look almost exactly like a 308 PureTech/BlueHDi/Hybrid (delete as applicable). No bad thing, of course, as the Peugeot C-segment hatch is a damned fine-looking thing anyway - especially if you go for it in the sumptuous Olivine Green paint - but if you're an anorak-y car-spotter like us, then you need to either clock the discreet 'E-308' logo on the bootlid (yes, it's a capital 'E' these days), or take note of the attractive 18-inch 'Ottawa' alloys that are fitted as standard to all versions of the Peugeot EV. These, as are the fashion in electrics these days, are designed to be as aerodynamic as possible, and they're specific to the E-308 only.
Interior
Again, we don't have much to report to you here. The Peugeot 308's cabin is centred around the i-Cockpit theory of 'small wheel, high-set cluster' the manufacturer has been propounding now since 2012... yes, it really is that old. Anyway, in the E-308, that means twin ten-inch configurable digital displays, one for the instruments and the other for infotainment, with the useful i-Toggle switches beneath the centre display and then some actual, physical buttons in a row another step below. The general quality and appointments of all of this is not in doubt, you understand, because we think the cabin is excellent, but if you're hoping for something obvious that immediately says 'you're in the electric model!' then you're largely out of luck. There's a 'B' mode on the stubby gear-selector to change the level of regenerative braking on offer, which is not something the petrol and diesel 308s will have, but you can spot it in the Hybrid versions so that's not a surefire giveaway in and of itself. You'll instead have to find the E-308-specific data screen in the i-Connect infotainment, that relates to battery usage, energy flow and consumption, charging times and so on, which is the only thing internally that is unique to the 'E', alone among all 308s. Oh, wait; it doesn't have a rev counter in its digital display, does it? So we suppose there's that, too.
Practicality
Again, this is the same as other 308s in terms of passenger space and the like, so the Peugeot is reasonably commodious in both its rows of seating. The only major difference for the E-308 is, like the B-switch for the transmission, something it shares with the plug-in hybrid models - it has a smaller boot than internal-combustion-powered 308s. Where the PureTech and BlueHDi variants enjoy 412 litres with all seats in use, and 1,323 litres with the rear row folded down, the E-308 matches the Hybrid versions with reduced stats of 361-1,271 litres accordingly. That's still a large-enough boot for this size of hatchback, sure, but it's a shame the eCMP2 doesn't preserve all of its cargo capacity. Two positive points to counter this, though: one, there's 34 litres of in-car storage in the E-308, which is a handy amount of cabin-clutter containment; and two, if the hatch ain't big enough for ya, then you'll be pleased to hear there's an E-308 SW on the way - which will make it one of the very few all-electric estate cars on sale in the UK right now.
Performance
Coming up now is a set of numbers that you are bound to have seen in multiple other car reviews of various Stellantis EV products in recent months. The Peugeot E-308 has a 54kWh (gross) battery, 51kWh of which is usable for driving the wheels. Its motor is a 115kW effort that drives the front wheels through a single-speed reduction gear arrangement, so that means your peak power is 156hp... as long as you have the car in Sport mode, that is. The drivetrain delivers less output in Normal and a hugely reduced amount in Eco.
In the E-308's larger body, this results in a car which tips the scales at a not-inconsequential 1,684kg, so there is one minor modification to the Peugeot hatchback's outputs, as it gains an additional 10Nm for an overall maximum of 270Nm. Thus equipped, the E-308 will go up to 257 miles on a single charge, or 255 miles if you pick a GT or First Edition, while the 0-62mph time is 9.8 seconds and the top speed is restricted to 106mph.
Strangely, the E-308 doesn't feel appreciably blunted, in terms of straight-line speed, by its additional size and weight when compared to an E-208 or E-2008. It picks up pace smartly, smoothly and, obviously, quietly, whispering its way into traffic flow without any difficulty at all. Sure, if you want the Peugeot to blat forward to 70mph in an instant when it's already rolling at 40, you're probably going to be disappointed - but if you need that sort of EV performance, you simply need a more powerful, considerably more expensive EV. For most people's daily-driving needs, the E-308's acceleration levels and general speed are more than sufficient.
Ride & Handling
Another big plus in the Pug's column, here, albeit we're going to stop short of saying the E-308 is anything like exciting to drive. What it is, though, is commendably composed and polished to an incredibly high standard. The first thing you'll notice when travelling is how well acoustically isolated the passenger compartment is, so you hear next to nothing of tyre roar, wind noise, the buzzing of the electric motor or the machinations of the suspension as it attempts to smother out lumps and bumps in the road. Instead, the interior of the E-308 is clothed in a rich, silken quietude that only serves to make the car's high overall refinement levels that bit higher still.
The ride quality is more than acceptable too, although admittedly Peugeot's position as the sporty brand in the Stellantis supergroup means there's a firm edge to everything it does. We'd probably be best saying the ride is informative, without ever being obtrusive - you'll sense the impressive body control of the car and the 18-inch wheels at the corners from time to time, but never to a level that leaves you feeling uncomfortable.
That translates into handling that's clean, precise and clearly talented, if some way short of thrilling. The steering takes on nice weight and feel in Sport mode in the E-308, while the balance and grip of the car both convey the impression they are unimpeachable in most normal circumstances. Even the brake pedal is nicely judged, considering the stoppers have to do some regenerative work from time to time, so you can certainly hustle the Peugeot along a quiet country road with some challenging direction changes and undulations at a fair old lick. It's just that you're very unlikely to be grinning broadly while you do such a thing; a brief, appreciative murmur and slight raise of the eyebrows is probably all the E-308's road-holding is ever going to elicit from its driver.
Value
Peugeot swerves the basic Active Premium specification of the rest of the 308 range for the EV model, instead kicking things off with the Allure. This gains the Ottawa 18-inch alloys, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, a reversing camera, 3D connected navigation, voice recognition, adaptive cruise control, and a whole host of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) for safety, among more.
The plusher GT cars enjoy full Matrix LED headlights with 3D LED tail-lamp clusters, a specific grille pattern at the front, enhanced side sills for a sportier look, and Alcantara upholstery within - the latter complemented by aluminium trim fillets and eight-colour ambient lighting. These GT cars are also equipped with front parking sensors to match the rears, as well as a 3D version of the ten-inch instrument cluster.
Peugeot is doing a First Edition limited-run of the E-308 as well, which gains some specific interior finishes and details to make it stand out, although this won't be on sale permanently. You'd better move fast if you want one.
However, the elephant in the room here is the price. Given the 308 range starts from £28,050 and most models sit in the bracket running up to about £32,000 in terms of opening prices, the E-308's cheapest example - the Allure - kicks off at £40,050. A GT would be another £2,200 on top of that. OK, so there are tax incentives and cheaper running costs and the comforting thought of owning a planet-friendly EV that all help to mitigate that sizeable number somewhat, and it's not miles ahead of some key premium rivals of similar technical specification either. But quite what you make of a 40-grand Peugeot 308 is up to you; all we know is that headline windscreen price is what we might term 'rather a lot'.
Verdict
Hefty-looking price tag aside, the Peugeot E-308 is executed as well as you would imagine from the French outfit. While it's not the fastest nor the most engaging EV you'll ever drive, even in this class of car, much of what the E-308 does, it does very well indeed. For its interior quality and remarkable refinement alone, it's definitely worth serious consideration in and amongst an electric hatchback sector that is becoming chock-full of talented opposition. All we want now is for Peugeot to slot a 70kWh-plus battery into it, give it a motor with in excess of 250hp and dust off those 'GTi' badges we all know it has knocking around its factory...
