To be offered in both hatchback and wagon body styles, the compact model without a combustion engine is going to be a front-wheel-drive-only affair. Power will be provided by an electric motor rated at 154 hp and 199 lb-ft (270 Nm) of torque sent to the front wheels. It’s going to be a tad more powerful than the smaller e-208, but that’s to be expected given its increased curb weight. Speaking of which, Peugeot says it will tip the scales at about 1,600 kilograms (3,527 pounds) or roughly the same as the already available plug-in hybrid model.

With a gross capacity of 54 kWh and a usable capacity of 50 kWh, the Peugeot e-308’s battery pack will be just 4 kWh bigger than the one used by the smaller electric supermini. It will support charging at speeds of up to 100 kW and will have enough juice for a maximum range of approximately 250 miles (402 kilometers) per the WLTP cycle.

Peugeot 308 brand project manager told Autocar the zero-emission version will benefit from a newly developed NMC811 battery chemistry for greater efficiency representing “the best among the competition”: 12.4 kWh per 100 kilometers or five miles per kWh.

The range number is low considering the Volkswagen ID.3 can travel for as much as 340 miles (549 kilometers) on a single charge. However, the gap between the two is understandable when you take into account the Peugeot e-308 won’t be a dedicated EV since it will use an electric adaptation of the platform shared with the gasoline and diesel models.

Wolfsburg’s EV also has a much bigger battery (82 kWh, gross), so it would make more sense to compare the e-308 with the ID.3’s base 55-kWh pack and its maximum rating of 205 miles (330 km). VW also has an ID.3 with a 62-kWh battery, good for up to 260 miles (420 km).

The company with the lion badge says it will put the e-308 into production in July 2023. It’s one of the many EVs coming later this decade ahead of 2030 when Peugeot will become purely electric in Europe.

Source: Autocar

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It should be mentioned the announcement impacts only new orders, so if you’ve already placed a deposit for an ICE-powered passenger van from a Stellantis brand, you won’t be forced to switch to its EV equivalent.

There are some exceptions to this decision as people living in Balkan countries, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland will still be able to go for a gasoline- or diesel-fueled passenger van. In addition, those residing in countries that are not part of the European Union will still have the option of an ICE-powered vehicle.

As to which vehicles are losing the piston engines, the list is quite long: Citroën Berlingo, Opel Combo Life, Peugeot Rifter, Citroën Jumpy Combi, Citroën Spacetourer, Opel Vivaro, Opel Zafira, Peugeot Expert, and the Peugeot Traveller. While Fiat is getting its own midsize van called Scudo, the Italian brand hasn’t made a similar announcement just yet.

By dropping the combustion-engined versions in those parts of Europe, it means these compact and midsize passenger vans will suddenly become a lot more expensive. Needless to say, this radical decision taken by Stellantis will greatly impact sales in 2022. We should specify the move does not include the cargo/commercial versions of those vans, which will soldier on with ICEs.

The former Vauxhall Astra factory at Ellesmere Port in the United Kingdom is in charge of producing the electric vans, supported by an investment of £100 million and the creation of 1,000 new jobs.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen announced this week it will (finally!) unveil the ID. Buzz production model on March 9 before having it on sale across Europe in the latter half of the year.

[Source: Stellantis]

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The decision taken by the company with the lion logo isn’t all too surprising seeing as how Ford of Europe, Fiat, Bentley, and Volvo will be doing the same in eight years from now. The first traditional car manufacturer to stop selling vehicles running on fossil fuels will be Jaguar as early as 2025. DS Automobiles will follow suit a year later, with Alfa Romeo applying a similar strategy by 2027 and Opel together with Vauxhall by 2028.

Not only that, but Mercedes has also pledged to become an EV-only brand by 2030 “where market conditions allow” and it is believed BMW’s Mini brand will wave goodbye to the ICE by the end of the decade. The remaining brands might be forced to drop gasoline and diesel engines altogether by 2035 provided the European Union’s proposal to abolish new sales of cars fitted with internal combustion engines will receive favorable voting.

Getting back to Peugeot, parent company Stellantis will rollout no fewer than four platforms (STLA Small, Medium, Large, and Frame) – all of which are being developed with electrification in mind. However, the underpinnings are currently being engineered to still accommodate conventional engines for those markets that won’t be ready to fully switch to EVs.

As it stands, 70% of Peugeot’s models are either plug-in hybrids or purely electric, with the percentage to grow in 2023 with the arrival of a zero-emissions 308 to take on the Volkswagen ID.3. The commercial vehicles have also been electrified, with only the entry-level 108 city car (due to be discontinued soon) and the large 5008 crossover not receiving a charging port.

Source: Automotive News Europe

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It is believed sister model Opel Astra coming later this year will also spawn an EV version, but it’s unclear which platform the two electric compact hatchbacks are going to use. They’ll either sit on an adaptation of the existing EMP2 developed for cars with combustion engines or they’ll use the new eVMP architecture Stellantis is developing for dedicated zero-emissions models.

The bespoke eVMP will premiere in 2023 on the next-generation 3008 and it would make sense for the 308 to adapt that platform considering it represents the crossover’s hatchback equivalent. Stellantis has previously stated eVMP will be compatible with both front- and all-wheel-drive models, meaning the EVs will be offered with single and dual electric motors.

The most powerful vehicles will have up to 250 kilowatts (335 hp) and it has already been confirmed eVMP will underpin hybrid models as well. In regards to range, the fully electric cars will cover anywhere between 400 to 650 kilometers (249 to 404 miles) per the WLTP cycle. Details about the batteries have not been disclosed, with Stellantis only saying these will have “standard modules for cost efficiency.”

EV versions of the Peugeot 308 and Opel Astra will go up against the Volkswagen ID.3 and the mechanically related Cupra Born coming out later this year as the sportier alternative while utilizing the same MEB platform. Skoda has hinted it too will launch an MEB-based electric compact hatchback, but it’s unlikely to arrive before the 308 / Astra EV.

As part of the Ford-VW tie-up, the Blue Oval has access to the MEB architecture and has already announced plans to “design and build at least one high-volume fully electric vehicle in Europe.” It’s earmarked for a 2023 launch, although it’s unclear which body style it will use. Our money is on either a crossover or a hatchback.

Source: Automotive News Europe

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The main difference between the two plug-in hybrids has to do with the gasoline engine, which develops either 150 hp (110 kW) or 180 hp (132 kW). The former enables the new Peugeot 308 Hybrid to offer a combined output of 180 hp while the latter ups the power ante to 225 hp. In both instances, the stylish hatchback offers a pure electric range of 60 kilometers (37 miles) according to the WLTP cycle.

Peugeot has developed its VW Golf competitor to support a charging power of 102 kW and to offer two types of on-board chargers, a standard 3.7 kW single-phase charger and an optional 7.4 kW single-phase charger. Using a wallbox and the optional charger, it’s going to take 1 hour and 55 minutes to fully recharge the battery, while a traditional socket with the standard charger will require 7 hours and 5 minutes for a complete recharge.

There’s more to the new 308 than its electrified powertrains as Peugeot will sell the swanky hatch with gasoline and diesel engines as well. We’re hearing through the grapevine a range-topping variant will follow, complete with nearly 300 horsepower and all-wheel drive thanks to an upgraded plug-in hybrid system already used in other Stellantis products sold in Europe.

The completely revamped design allows the Peugeot 308 to stand out in a crowded segment while offering high-end features varying from matrix LED headlights to a pair of 10-inch screens inside. There’s also a separate touch panel below with shortcuts to various often-used functions, including the climate settings. LED ambient lighting, 10-way electrically adjustable front seats, a wireless charging pad, interior air filter, a Focal sound system with 10 speakers, and a subwoofer round off the list of niceties.

The 308 ushers in Peugeot’s retro-flavored new lion badge and comes along with the model designation located just below the hood as a nod to the past. It’s 11 centimeters (4.3 inches) longer than its predecessor and the wheelbase has been stretched by 5.5 centimeters (2.16 inches) for additional rear legroom, while the roof has been lowered by 20 millimeters (0.78 inches) to enable a sleeker profile. The reshaped body has also paid dividends in terms of aerodynamic efficiency, now at 0.28.

The 2021 Peugeot 308 certainly has a lot going for it: attractive design, efficient plug-in hybrid powertrains, cutting-edge interior, and all the tech you could ever want from a C-segment hatchback. The only downside is the French brand has abandoned plans for a North American return for the time being, meaning the 308 won’t hit stateside anytime soon, if at all.

Meanwhile, Europe will get the car from the second half of 2021 shortly after it will enter production in France at Peugeot’s Mulhouse plant. The hatchback will be the first to hit the market, with a wagon likely arriving by the end of the year or early 2022.

Source: Peugeot

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