Peugeot e208
2020 onwards
The Peugeot e208 is pretty much the same car as the Vauxhall Corsa e, but with a bit of French flair.
I have driven the e208 frequently, as my eldest daughter has one and I'm a named driver. I test drove one during the process of her deciding to buy the car, which she did aged just 19. She's now had the car almost a year and is still very pleased with it.
Driving
The e208 is quite a fun car to drive. It is small, nimble and nippy.
It isn't a sports car, but the instant torque means it feels pretty quick at all times. In fact, with a 0-60 mph time of 8.1 seconds, it's quicker than the original VW Golf GTi. It handles reasonably well too and rides the bumps of British roads better than I would have expected.
The problem for me though, is getting in and out. The steering wheel, even at its highest setting, is far too low. For me, at 6 foot tall and about 22 stone (yes, I know, I should increase exercise and start a diet), it really is a struggle getting in, having to move the driver's seat all the way back before I can even attempt it.
Once I'm sat there though, it's pretty comfortable.
The dash is quite striking with a 3D effect; the speed indicator seems to hover over other information. It really is quite impressive. The main display in between the seats is less so. It works, sometimes. On my daughter's car, the screen will go dark quite frequently and once this happens, it doesn't come back. At least not until you've stopped, turned everything off and waited a few minutes before trying again. She has spoken to the dealership about this and they will, hopefully, get it fixed.
Range and Charging
The range stated on the Peugeot website was 217 miles, but my daughter really hasn't seen anything like that. That's not a big surprise, as the stated range on an EV is a bit like the mpg figures quoted by car manufacturers for petrol and diesel cars. It's possible to achieve, but only if you really try. The charging speed isn't too bad though. It will charge at rate of up to 7.4kW from an AC or 'destination' charging point, and at up to 101kW from a rapid charger. This means that, when on a longer journey with a need to charge along the route, you should be able to get back up to 80% in as little as 30 minutes. That's long enough to use the toilets and enjoy a coffee and a piece of cake!
The ranges stated in the above table are approximations based upon the combined cycles (city and main roads) in the cold and in warmer weather. These are not guarantees and they are not based upon the experience from my test drive.
You can find lots of information about electric vehicles, past and current, at http://www.ev-database.org
Verdict
The Peugeot e208 is a great little car and I would happily recommend it to people who are looking for a car in this segment. It is, like for like, more expensive than the Vauxhall equivalent, so I'd probably recommend test driving that too before you make a decision. That said, my daughter spent the extra because she liked the higher quality dash and rather liked the idea of having another car with the Lion emblem.
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