That acquainted EV calling card of prompt, torque-rich acceleration is current and proper within the e-208, its good step-off making it a very efficient performer on the town driving. And with only a single-speed discount gear transmission, acceleration is delivered in a seamless surge, with no pause for clutch take-up from standstill or for any gearchanges.
The Peugeot’s means to zap away from site visitors lights has the potential to depart its driver, and people of different, piston-engined automobiles within the neighborhood, slightly bamboozled.
Like equally highly effective electrified rivals, the e-208 is at its greatest at low to medium speeds, the place the automotive feels nearly scorching hatch fast. Above 50mph or so, acceleration tails off pretty sharply, at which level it feels no stronger than a mid-range naturally aspirated petrol equal.
The Peugeot will cruise comfortably on the motorway restrict, nevertheless it requires surprisingly massive throttle openings to take action and that has the anticipated adverse knock-on impact on the vary. Vitality supply massively relies on which drive mode you’re in.
Sport provides you entry to full energy and it picks up shortly with about two thirds throttle. Regular mode dials issues again and will increase the quantity of throttle required to attain overtaking speeds. Eco actually reigns in these Aragonian ponies. Quick and the Livid type proper foot mashing is required to carry out any overtaking transfer on this mode.
Pull the stubby gearlever again from the ‘D’ place into ‘B’ and also you interact that extra aggressive regenerative braking mode, with full off-throttle delivering sufficient retardation to set off the brake lights and permit true ‘one-pedal’ driving. Get your anticipation proper and you must solely want to the touch the brake pedal in the previous couple of metres earlier than slowing to a cease.
The brakes are excellent. A lot of really feel, agency with out being too strenuous and constant it doesn’t matter what the re-gen is as much as.
One space the place the Peugeot scores towards rivals is in its refined efficiency, serving to it to take full benefit of the near-silent energy supply of electrical motors.
Typically these hushed mechanicals spotlight different noises within the automotive, however not so with the e-208, which does a effective job of isolating occupants from wind and highway noise. (There’s an acoustically tuned windscreen as customary.)
