What's all this about?

It's the Peugeot E-3008, the new electric version of a new coupe-SUV that's going to replace the 3008 that's about to be phased out. And, as that prefix in its badge name suggests, this is an all-electric SUV - or, at least, it is from launch, as hybrid and plug-in hybrid models are slated to follow.

OK, so tell me about the electric ones, please. Lots of power?

Yes. Well... reasonable amounts, although - as we shall see - some of the performance stats quoted are eye-widening. The E-3008 is the first vehicle built on the STLA Medium underpinnings, a new electric vehicle (EV) platform from the Stellantis group. As with many EVs these days, buyers will be offered the choice of one electric motor or two, which means in the Peugeot's case that you're either going to end up with front- or all-wheel drive.

There are also two battery sizes, 73- or 98kWh usable, and a combination of these factors gives us the three launch models: the Standard Range, a 214hp/343Nm single-motor variant with the 73kWh battery; the Long Range, which is basically the same single-motor version but with a bit more power (231hp) and the 98kWh battery; and then the Dual Motor, which - as its name rather gives the game away for - has a secondary rear electric propulsion unit. It makes 326hp and a combined 509Nm, but it's fitted with the smaller battery pack, not the larger.

So what does all that mean for performance and range and the like?

Well, there are some interesting stats here. Bearing in mind every model of E-3008 weighs in excess of 2.1 tonnes, the 326hp/509Nm of the Dual Motor doesn't seem that much to us... yet Peugeot says this electric coupe-SUV will rocket from rest to 62mph in 3.9 seconds. That's bonkers. The other two aren't exactly slow either; the lighter Standard Range manages a 5.4-second run for 0-62mph and the Long Range a tenth behind that due to its bigger, heavier battery pack. Both single-motor E-3008s are limited to 105mph, while the Dual Motor is allowed to run on to 112mph. But the range king is, again, the one with the obvious name: the Long Range. This thing can apparently go up to 435 miles on a single charge of its 98kWh battery pack. That's a fantastic number in the current EV marketplace, although the 326-mile range of both the Standard Range and Dual Motor models is none too shabby either.

Are they as fast to charge?

They're not bad, albeit STLA Medium is on 400-volt architecture and not 800-volt, which is the system you need for ultra-rapid charge times (see the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Porsche Taycan for further details). AC charging is rated at up to either 11kW as standard or 22kW optionally - so you should be looking at around five hours max for the biggest battery with the upgraded AC charging - but if you find a decent ultra-rapid DC public hook-up, the E-3008 can recharge at up to 160kW. That means a 20-80 per cent charge of the battery should take around half an hour on all three models. Also, Peugeot has fitted the E-3008 with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability, meaning you can power electrical appliances from the car's high-voltage battery if you need to.

And why was a coupe body chosen?

For its aerodynamic properties. With a 0.28 coefficient-of-drag figure, the slippery shell of the Peugeot E-3008 means it makes the most of what electrical resources it has, resulting in good rolling efficiency. At just over 4.5 metres long, 1.6 metres tall and nearly 1.9 metres wide, the E-3008 remains a fairly compact machine, yet it manages to preserve the 520-litre boot capacity of the outgoing model and its more prosaic SUV shape. That said, pick the Dual Motor version and the rear electric unit cuts the boot down to 470 litres.

It looks good, though, doesn't it?

Yes, this is the dual appeal of that rakish roofline. Carrying on the aesthetic work started by the Peugeot 408, the E-3008 has slim LED headlamps up front, a 'floating' rear spoiler and an array of 19- and 20-inch alloy wheels to choose from. As well as six body colours too, one of which is dichromatic - so it switches from looking blue to green, depending on the light levels.

Inside, the new Panoramic i-Cockpit layout makes its debut. This places a 21-inch curved high-def display on top of the dashboard, blending the digital instrument cluster and the touchscreen infotainment together seamlessly. Underneath that, the configurable and touch-sensitive i-Toggles are grafted in, while ambient LED lighting in eight different colours allows occupants to set just the right mood. Finally, there's a new design of steering wheel for Panoramic i-Cockpit, which in turn features paddles on which the driver can adjust the level of regenerative braking through Low, Medium and High. In the latter two settings, the car illuminates its brake lights as soon as you lift off the accelerator pedal.

Any news on UK prices and launch dates yet?

Not on the former, but we shouldn't have to wait too long as the Peugeot E-3008 will go on sale from February 2024. Also no word on when the hybrid and plug-in hybrid derivatives will follow the three launch EVs.

Matt Robinson - 12 Sep 2023