ON THE ROAD – IAN LYNAS PREVIEWS THE NEW PEUGEOT E3008

Peugeot has revealed the model that will replace the 3008, a vehicle which over a seven year period recorded more than 1.3 million sales across 130 countries, thus enter the E-3008 and by 2025, the French carmaker will offer a complete battery electric line-up, and by 2030, all of the brand’s sales in Europe will be electric.

The new model will be the first model to use the Stellantis’ brand-new STLA Medium electric powertrain, designed to offer best-in-class performance and a claimed range of 700km (435m). When it comes to such claims from a manufacturer I prefer to wait, drive the vehicle and come up with my own figure. On the area of charging; recharge time, 20-80 percent in 30 minutes from a 160kW charger. A useful feature, a V2L (Vehicle to Load) function, giving customers the option of powering an electrical device via the car’s high-voltage battery and this system can supply up to 3kW and 16A. The V1G or Smart Charging function can also adjust the time and power at which the battery of the new E-3008 is charged to optimise charging costs.

I have no doubt the style of the new vehicle will appeal to many with its fastback SUV profile and yet it will be one of the most compact cars in the electric SUV category, while still providing 520 litres of boot space; in fact the same as that of the previous 3008. The front end has been fully redesigned and the ultra-compact LED headlamps and grille are complemented by a sweeping aerodynamic profile which highlights the modernity and unique personality of the new SUV. I always feel that wheels add that all important finishing touch to the exterior of any vehicle and the E3008 will be offered with a choice of 19 or 20 inch wheels of a geometric design with the new company emblem at their centre.

Exterior colour is often a deciding factor for the would be buyer; E-3008 is available in a range of six colours, including courtesy of innovative dichromatic pigments, the Obsession Blue colour which changes from blue to green depending on the light and the shape of the bodywork, all very clever and certainly eye-catching. Moving to the interior the new panoramic i-Cockpit features a floating, curved twenty one inch HD panoramic screen that combines the head-up display with the central touchscreen. The screen is slightly curved towards the driver while remaining perfectly accessible to the front seat passenger. Next to the panoramic screen, the instrument cluster combines all the information relating to driving, located above the new compact steering wheel; the latter delivers a decided sporty feel. In the centre of the dashboard, the touch-screen is used to manage the heating/air conditioning, navigation and media/connectivity systems. The new STLA Medium platform incorporates new front and rear axles designed to deliver dynamic road-holding and the architecture of the platform itself contributes to this dynamism by lowering the vehicle’s centre of gravity, thanks to the single-layer battery being ideally positioned as low as possible between the wheels.

No surprise a number of driving aids will be part of the package, including adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go function, lane keep assist and speed limit sign detection. The E-3008 also features the latest active safety technologies, such as automatic emergency braking with collision warning, lane departure warning, driver attention alert, long-range blind spot monitoring and advanced traction control. Various trim levels will offer choice with three all-electric powertrains: 210bhp/157kW standard range;230bhp/170kW long range and 320bhp/240kW dual motor providing all-wheel drive and self-charging hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains will also be available.

Ian Lynas