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Peugeot Australia launching first electric car in 2022, e-2008 SUV looking likely; plug-in hybrids here late 2021

Peugeot will launch its first electric vehicle in Australia in 2022 – with the e-2008 small SUV looking most likely – following two plug-in hybrids into showrooms late in 2021.


Peugeot has confirmed it will launch its first electric vehicle in Australia in 2022 – though the exact identity of the vehicle that will grace local showrooms is yet to be confirmed.

"In 2022, we will introduce electric variants to the Australian market. Whilst we are not currently in a position to confirm what they will be, various studies are underway and favourable. We look forward to sharing more information later this year," a Peugeot Citroen Australia spokesperson told Drive.

While the exact model that will kick off the brand's fully-electric push locally has yet to be locked in, Drive understands the e-2008 small SUV (below) is set to be the first Peugeot electric car to reach Australian showrooms, with electric versions of the French brand's Partner and Expert vans also said to be on Peugeot Citroen Australia's shortlist.

Fans clamouring to get behind the wheel of the new-generation 208 city hatchback will be pleased to hear the model is "under evaluation" for an Australian launch, though whether it will offer petrol and/or electric power locally – if at all, as a launch has yet to be officially locked in – has yet to be decided.

Launched in Europe in late 2019, the e-2008 sees a 100kW/260Nm electric motor replace the regular 2008's petrol engine, connected to a 50kWh lithium-ion battery for up to 332km of claimed driving range on Europe's WLTP test cycle.

100kW DC fast charging allows the battery to be filled up from zero to 80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes. A 7.5kW AC home wallbox will reportedly complete a full charge in 7.5 hours, according to the brand.

Australian pricing for the e-2008 has yet to be confirmed (and won't be until closer to launch, assuming it gets the nod for a local launch) however range-topping electric models in the UK cost 25 to 26 per cent more than their 114kW petrol counterparts – suggesting an estimated list price of $55,000 before on-road costs for a flagship e-2008 GT Sport.

An entry-level model equivalent in standard specification to today's 2008 Allure could cost around $47,000 before on-road costs, using UK pricing as a guide.

Also slated for an Australian launch in 2022 are Peugeot's small e-Partner (below) and/or mid-size e-Expert (above) light commercial vans which, like the e-2008, are all-electric variants of their combustion-powered counterparts.

Both models feature 100kW electric motors on their front axles, with the e-Partner connecting it to a 50kWh lithium-ion battery for 275km of claimed driving range on Europe's WLTP test cycle, and a 0-100km/h time of 11.2 seconds.

The e-Expert offers a choice of 50kWh or 75kWh packs, good for 238km or 340km of WLTP-certified driving range respectively.

However, Peugeot’s local arm has yet to officially confirm which of the two vans, or both, will come to Australia.

2021 Peugeot 3008 plug-in hybrid, 508 Fastback plug-in hybrid coming to Australia

Keen to purchase an electrified Peugeot by the end of 2021? The brand's Australian arm has confirmed it will launch two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models in the fourth quarter of 2021 (October to December inclusive): an all-wheel-drive version of the 3008 mid-size SUV, and a front-wheel-drive variant of the 508 Fastback mid-size car.

Contrary to earlier reporting, the 508 plug-in hybrid will only be available locally in five-door Fastback guise – with the wagon body style set to be limited to petrol engined models – while the 3008 PHEV (badged Hybrid4) will be offered solely with all-wheel drive, with Europe's 165kW front-drive model not bound for Australia.

Both plug-in hybrid models feature 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines under their bonnets – with the 508's developing 133kW, versus the 3008's 147kW.

However, whereas the 508 will pair the engine with just one 80kW electric motor for 165kW combined and front-wheel drive, the 3008 PHEV scores a second 80kW e-motor to send a combined 221kW to all four wheels.

The 508's 11.6kWh lithium-ion battery allows for a 63km all-electric driving range on Europe's WLTP cycle, while the 3008's larger 13.2kWh pack offsets its increased weight and less aerodynamic shape for 59km of zero-emissions motoring.

Local pricing and specifications won't be announced until closer to launch, however if UK pricing is a guide, expect a top-shelf 3008 GT Sport plug-in hybrid to cost around $70,000 before on-road costs, and a 508 GT plug-in hybrid to be priced around $60,500 before on-road costs.

"Globally, Peugeot has made a commitment to offer an electrified variant across the entire model line up by 2025. Locally, we will embark upon the Peugeot electrification journey with the introduction of PHEV variants of the Peugeot 3008 (HYBRID4) and 508 (Fastback) in [the fourth quarter of] 2021," a Peugeot Citroen Australia spokesperson told Drive.

Stay tuned to Drive for all the latest on the launch of Peugeot's first electric car in 2022, and the plug-in hybrid 3008 and 508 in the fourth quarter of 2021.

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Alex Misoyannis

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

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