Peugeot e-208, strides

“But it all sounds the same to me” Some Of My Lies Are True (Sooner Or Later) (Huey Lewis & The News 1980)

I can’t find the keys to the door. I know they were in the right pocket, I know because they are always there. I look at the sky. Seventeen springs ago the birds left. But not drones. They are still there. A small one zooms up to me. “Good afternoon citizen, can we help you with something?” I can’t stand drones. Metallic, helpful, slimy, nosy. “No” I keep digging in my pockets even though I know I won’t find the keys. So I pull up my hood and start walking up the street. I do not know why. The drone keeps buzzing at me «Are you sure citizen? It seemed that you wanted to enter your home. Calle de la Reina 43 floor 14-B. Antonio Sanchez. Second-class plumber. Always with that stupid mania of reciting my identity to me. As if I don’t remember my name. How I make a living programming plumbing robots. What the metallic insect does not know is that from my 14th floor I have views of the cybernetic junkyard on the southern outskirts of the city. And how I enjoy watching their fellows being crushed into metal ingots.

“I don’t need help” and I add without thinking “thank you.” «The citizen does not deserve them. We are here to help. Let me contact your home insurance locksmith. Policy A-3945Z. » It makes me mad to think that I’ve been nice to this thing. I start coughing. The air is of poor quality at this hour. They have already lit the scrapping furnaces. It will soon begin to get dark, even though the sun has three hours to set. But the cloud will rise from the landfill to cover everything. «Is citizen Antonio well? The locksmith is on his way. “I said I DON’T need a locksmith” I yell, I immediately regret it. I start coughing louder. I trip and fall to the ground. The drone bobs in the air and then circles me once to get close to my right shoulder. “Do not worry. The locksmith will be here in five minutes. Do you want me to notify the medical services as well? ” I open my eyes. Someone has painted a sparrow on the sidewalk with chalk. A sidewalk cleaning robot is approaching. I sit on top of the drawing and the robot stops for a moment next to me. Then he leaves. Meanwhile the drone flies around reciting my social security number and the results of my latest tests. I miss the birds.

There is no doubt that the Stellantis group, the result of the merger between FCA and PSA, is taking giant steps in its electrification strategy, both in purely electric models and in plug-in hybrids. In the case of FCA models with the proposal of models with an electrified version that can also mount a combustion engine. We have tested several models of this type with the same mechanics and now it is the turn of one of the best sellers: the Peugeot 208.

In our test of the gasoline version of this French model, we were able to realize that the aesthetics of this model transmits a balance between maintaining the important personality of the brand with those feline features in the lines of the car with an exercise in modernization at the same time as many dynamic touches are present to convey that sportiness that is typical of the Peugeot proposal. In the case of the Peugeot e-208 these brushstrokes are intact, as it is a completely identical version externally.

Worthy successor

This 208 is a worthy successor to the Peugeot 200 range, a compact car with that character that distinguishes the brand’s models with sporty details such as the moldings, the rear spoiler and the wheels. Also the optics of this model have a dynamic design, the front with an elongated “teardrop” that descends on the bumper and the taillights placed on the waist of the car and joined by a piece of glossy black plastic divided into vertical elements.

In this case, the wide and aggressive front grill contributes to cooling the batteries instead of bringing air to the combustion engine, but nothing other than the model name plate reveals that we are dealing with a 208 with an electric motor. Inside, the modern and stylish design adopted by the French manufacturer for its latest models is maintained. The peculiar instrumentation stands out above all, which, in addition to being arranged so that it can be seen above the steering wheel, has a three-dimensional graphic.

But the interior of the 208, as we could already appreciate when we tested the gasoline version, is full of details such as the modern design of the dashboard made of a material that imitates carbon fiber or the set of function selector switches such as air conditioning. the emergency lights and the closing and opening of doors for which some controls that stand out with an aeronautical air have been arranged and that coexist with other tactile ones on the shiny black surfaces that abound in the interior.

Electrical information

The infotainment system, as is de rigueur in these models, has been adapted to provide information from the electrical system and to allow the configuration of the battery charge. It does not offer a large number of options or very detailed information, but it does offer enough to be aware of the consumption of the car. It is not possible to program the time at which we charge, which is important to adjust it to the hours with the lowest energy prices. For this we will have to use the application, as we explained at the end.

The front seats are a comfortable but somewhat narrow size and design. Its position is somewhat low but visibility is not impaired. The good layout of the information screen means that we do not have to take our eyes off the road. Although some touch controls do not convince us at all, especially since sometimes you have to look to know what we are operating, they are all at hand and are comfortable to operate.

Compact

In the rear, the space is tighter but in line with other cars of its size. It has good finishing details and small practical solutions with a discreet legroom but enough for people of average size. The sunroof is an interesting option to give more light and a feeling of space inside. The upholstery has seemed to us to be a material that is pleasant to the touch and with good finishes and seams.

With regard to the trunk and thanks to the design of the platform, it is the same as that found in the 208 gasoline. The 265 liters available are somewhat scarce but sufficient for the use that we can give to a car of this size. In addition, as we pointed out in the analysis of the gasoline version, it is a practical trunk with regular shapes that we can take advantage of a lot. What we will not find is the space for the spare wheel since it is occupied by part of the battery.

Softness and silence

The operation of the electric 208 is similar to that of other models we have tested: without going any further, its brother the electric 2008 and its “cousin” the electric Opel Corsa. With respect to the first, the fundamental difference is the space available, especially in height inside the cabin. The behavior of the car is practically identical since the good torque figure of the propeller means that the difference in weight does not influence the performance. Without going any further, the acceleration from zero to one hundred is the same.

The electric motor runs very smoothly but decisively and responds immediately to the throttle. Its operation in the city is perfect since it combines the comfort of driving in silence, thanks also to a good isolation from outside noise, with excellent maneuverability in addition to the already known virtues of the electric motor. This allows to function in urban traffic with great agility, in addition to doing so without emitting gases into the atmosphere.

Urban

But although it is a compact car with excellent city performance, it also shows good aptitudes on the road. The steering is very direct and precise so driving on twisty roads is not a problem. In addition, the suspensions and the low center of gravity characteristic of electric cars mean that we can maintain high speeds in curves, which makes it an extremely fun car as well as reliable. In this sense it is slightly more agile than the SUV version, the 2008.

The car’s operating modes (Eco, Normal and Sport) allow the car’s personality to be slightly modified and are above all aimed at saving energy. In any case, as long as we fully press the accelerator, the power will be at our disposal to be able to get out of any trouble. One aspect perhaps to improve is consumption, which is somewhat high for a compact car, although it is common due to the weight of the batteries.

Control consumption

Consumption in urban routes can be controlled more and is more or less than expected in this type of vehicle, about 10 or 12 kWh per 100 kilometers while on the road they easily exceed 18. In any case, these figures vary a lot depending on the style driving performance and also the ambient temperature, because consumption will vary greatly depending on whether the heating is working or not, for example. In any case, autonomy can reach 300 kilometers if we are careful.

Regarding the battery charge, the 208 electric is important to say that it is compatible with ultra-fast charge in direct current of 100 kWh that manages to charge the battery by 80% in 30 minutes. The rest of the charging modes are the usual ones: domestic plug (limited to 8 amps) and fast charge of 7.4 (the usual in domestic wallboxes) or 11 kWh. Keep in mind that the battery is liquid-cooled, so the batteries maintain the temperature more effectively both in operation and during charging.

From the My Peugeot application it is possible to configure various vehicle functions and particularly in the case of the e-208, the charging functions. We can program the ignition of the air conditioning system and program the time at which the charge is carried out to take advantage of the lower price time slots and see the charging data in real time. It also allows you to locate the car on an interactive map or open its doors with your mobile.

Conclusions

We already liked the Peugeot 208 because it is a compact car that keeps both in its philosophy and in its appearance the spirit of the Peugeot 200 series: practicality with a sporty touch and a plus of quality compared to models in the same category. It is an interesting balance between a car that is drivable in the city that is, on the other hand, very comfortable and silent and has excellent dynamic qualities that make it a good companion on the road.

The electric version only underlines some of these characteristics, especially in regards to its use in the city, adding a propeller with enough power and verve together with a low center of gravity to underline the qualities of a fun car. and with very good road skills. Ultimately, this electric 208 is a good addition to Stellantis’ zero-emission vehicle fleet.