Electric pug has fight on its hands

Published on 30 January, 2022

The note on the Peugeot price list is pretty stark: “Due to production challenges at present options are unavailable for 2008 models until further notice.”

Much the same will be experienced across other manufacturers, the chip shortage and other supply factors have left the showrooms short of the range and variety of what they want to offer.

As we pointed out recently, that has also massively pushed up secondhand prices. This is not the best time to be buying either old or new; delay if you can.

Overview

The note on the Peugeot price list is pretty stark: “Due to production challenges at present options are unavailable for 2008 models until further notice.”

Much the same will be experienced across other manufacturers, the chip shortage and other supply factors have left the showrooms short of the range and variety of what they want to offer.

As we pointed out recently, that has also massively pushed up secondhand prices. This is not the best time to be buying either old or new; delay if you can.

Hyundai, for example, announced internationally last week that things should radically improve in the second quarter of the year. The choice for the 222 plates from July on should be better across all sectors.

I was looking at the price list for the Peugeot e-2008 after coming quite late to the small SUV in electric form. The 2008 had been a great favourite in its 2013 launch version before its 2019 radical relaunch when the very same quite racy body style and interiors were used for petrol diesel and EV versions. It was a car that would have lived quite respectably at Spray Towers.

The new model is certainly eye-catching with masses of creases and angles plus rather threatening sabre-tooth running lights and diamond cut alloys. The Orange Fusion colour of the test model might be pretty strong for some but it certainly stands out.

Inside Peugeot is very proud of the quality of its cockpit and it does feel and look good with good surfaces and switchgear. It is an attractive dashboard with piano-like keys for some functions that are pleasant to use.

However, the infotainment screen is relatively small and some of the additional touch sensitive switches are a bit confusing. The small steering wheel divides opinion but I’ve always liked it.

My regular passenger found there wasn’t a good balance in the front seat adjustments. The back is roomy enough for two, but three would be squeezed and the whole area is rather dark with windows that don’t open fully.

However the boot is good with a useful twin floor. This is a well-proportioned car for a small family which makes the most of its quite compact length and SUV-like stance without being overly pushy. It drives more sedately than it looks and there isn’t a lot of road feel.

However it is great for nipping around town when you also get the best of its rather limited battery range. The 50kWh battery promises 310km and you will get an urban 260km between the jigs and reels of brake regeneration if you flip the automatic transmission into B mode.

I really missed the one-pedal driving of the Ford Mustang Mach-E which had just been given back. On the open road, when I did a couple of M50 drives, the range really fell off, although if you can find a fast charger the e-2008 on board capacity will give an 80pc charge in about half an hour.

Even charging overnight at home never gave me more than a 260km stated range but then the test car was a year old and overdue its service.

It was the Allure model, which is in the middle of the range and comes in at €35,075, after grants and before p&p. It is just about €5k more than the equivalent petrol model, a gap that is quite a lot less than with some marques.

Although the Allure model had a great range of safety equipment I was disappointed that basics like front sensors weren’t included. If you can push to it, the GT line at €37,190 is a more complete package. However at that price you are now entering the territory of very superior EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which starts at €37,995, as well as the top of the range Kona, which is smaller inside, and Kia’s Soul and Niro EVs all of which have far greater ranges.

In fact the Niro, which gets a pretty radical launch this summer, looks very tasty indeed. There is also the very well-priced MG range of EVs undercutting all of the above. And don’t forget the Opel Mokka-E, sister to the Pug EV.

There’s a lot to like about the front wheel drive e-2008 and it is very obviously part of Peugeot’s move up-market. It looks and feels more premium than previous models with good suspension, attractive and classy finishings plus steady if not spectacular driving abilities.

It’s a pity the famed Peugeot Grip Control system is not available with their EVs. The new Peugeot 308 is promised with a better performing battery, if that becomes an option for the e-2008 without a big price increase it could make all the difference.

Already all versions of the 2008 are becoming very popular, selling 1,391 models last year a mouth-watering 132pc up on the 600 sold in 2020.

Only the Ford Puma and the all-electric best seller Volkswagen ID.3 outperformed it in percentage increase among the top 25new cars sold last year.

*****

The original Mini was launched in 1959, created during an oil crisis and based on the idea of saving fuel and transporting four occupants and their luggage in the smallest possible footprint.

Now the MINI Recharged project remains connected to the design principles of its creator Sir Alec Issigonis by continuing to tell the story of the classic Mini in the 21st century, in a sustainable way by the electric conversion of old cars.

To experience traditional go-kart handling with an emission-free drivetrain, the original petrol engine of the classic Mini is replaced by a modern electric drive.

During the conversion, MINI Recharged makes reversible changes to the substance of the vehicle. This makes it possible to restore the classic Mini to its original condition at a later date.

*****

Afew weeks ago I wrote about the very fast move to full automatic transmissions in new cars which could affect the way we learn to drive.

John, a reader, rightly took me to task. He wrote: “I look forward to your column every Sunday, however I was very disappointed – no bloody annoyed – to read the January 9 article when you called the manual gearbox a stick shift.

“This is Ireland not America. We have two types of gearboxes here: manual and automatic. There are enough Americanisms creeping into our everyday language, please don’t encourage it.”

(As a previous enforcer of style on this paper I have apologised, CS).