Even though Peugeot still offers plenty of gasoline- and diesel-engined vehicles, it reports that in the last through 2020, one out of every ten cars it sold were electrified. This includes plug-in hybrids and pure EVs and with so many tempting electrified or fully electric models in its roster, it really isn’t hard to see why.
According to a report published by AutoExpress, Peugeot is so confident in the future of electric vehicles, that it apparently intends to only sell the next generation 208 subcompact city car as a BEV. This is a bold move, given the fact that the 208 is one of the French automaker’s bread and butter models, a car you literally see everywhere in Europe.
The British outlet spoke to none other than Jean-Pillipe Imparato, the CEO of Peugeot, who confirmed that the next 208 will, in fact, be an e-208. Speaking of the 208 (and its crossover cousin, the 2008), Peugeot reports that
In the last ten weeks of orders we are above 14% [fully electric] on the 208 and 2008. And on the 3008 we introduced at the beginning of December the PHEV mix is at 27%.
Imparato also went on to say that
Globally this EV trend is increasing each and every month, and each and every week.
He also pointed out that he doesn’t expect the smaller Peugeot 108 to be renewed for an all-new version when the time comes for it to be replaced. And even though some manufacturers have offered vehicles of a similar size with a fully-electric powertrain (the Volkswagen e-Up! and its VW group stablemates), it seems Peugeot is more tempted to just kill it off completely and focus on the 208.
When will this happen? Well, given the fact that the 208 was only launched in 2019, it should still be around in its current form for another four years. We therefore predict that Peugeot could show the next-gen 208 (and the 2008) sometime around 2025, maybe 2026.
Peugeot is definitely also peeking over the fence at its compatriots from Renault as they announced a massive restructuring of the company’s entire business model. Company officials call it Renaulution and one of its pillars is putting more focus on electrifying its entire range, even core models, as well as reviving some historic models with an electric twist; this even applies to sports car builder Alpine.
Source: AutoExpress