Peugeot E-2008 GT long-term test: SUV’s range will leave you scratching your head

Verdict

The Peugeot has been an efficient companion over the summer. It’s a bit small for a family of three, but as a compact SUV that can manage the odd long journey or act as a second car for urban duties, there’s plenty to recommend.

• Mileage: 4,982
• Efficiency: 4.1mi/kWh

First, a disclaimer: I have not been driving around blindfolded recently. The picture you see here was taken with the car in Park, on a quiet airfield in Oxfordshire.

This is just a metaphor for how it feels when I hop into our Peugeot E-2008 after charging it to full. While most electric cars base their remaining range figure on driving style or historical data, the Peugeot always shows 248 miles at 100 per cent; that is the car’s official WLTP range and very much a best-case scenario.

As we all know, you have to be driving like a saint on a sunny day to get anywhere near that number. This isn’t really an issue in itself, because I can mitigate for it if I know the car’s capabilities – but not having an accurate estimate in front of me while I’m driving seems somewhat counterintuitive.

Of course, after a little while things do level out and the car figures out how far I’ll be able to go before I need to stop and charge. I’ve discovered a clever trick, too, whereby resetting the trip computer to show average efficiency allows me to do some en-route mental maths. If I can keep to 4.0mi/kWh, that translates (efficiency multiplied by usable battery capacity) to 204 miles of range; my current average of 4.1mi/kWh means just over five miles extra. I’d need to do more than 4.8mi/kWh to hit the quoted range. 

Of course, part of this is just me being facetious. The E-2008 has been admirably efficient in its time on the Auto Express fleet, and I feel like I’m saving a small fortune after my previous Genesis Electrified GV70 – a bigger, heavier SUV, but a lot less efficient too.

The contrasts between that car and this one couldn’t have been more stark, in fact. While I no longer have to cart around a bulky buggy or travel cot when we go away, there’s still plenty my daughter wants to pack in – including a small bike (now with pedals), plus plenty of books, Barbies and cuddly bunnies. The 2008 is, honestly, a bit small for a family of three; you can see why so many people gravitate to larger models for daily duties.

But otherwise, it’s been a really easy car to live with. The high-quality and hard-wearing interior looks as fresh as it did the day the car was delivered more than five months and 5,000 miles ago. And if you discount the utterly useless smartphone app – which refuses to connect to the Peugeot nine times out of 10 – I’ve had no issues with reliability.

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It’s not an uncomfortable car, either – and certainly not on the shorter trips it’s really designed for. We’ve done a number of longer journeys to Devon and Dorset too, and it’s only after two or more hours at the wheel that you’ll notice the slightly hard-set seats. The electric adjustment and massage function on the driver’s side is a worthwhile option, but it seems stingy not to allow the front passenger the same luxury – especially on a £40k car.

Which brings me, finally, to the price. Many manufacturers – even others with Peugeot in the Stellantis group – are edging ever closer to price parity when it comes to petrol versus electric. Admittedly, the specs have changed slightly since my car was built, but you’re still looking at just over £37,000 before options; a like-for-like 2008 Hybrid costs £4,395 less.

Using Peugeot’s online finance calculator – and with the lower interest rate on the E-2008 – over three years and 10,000 miles per year, you’ll pay a whopping £519 per month to run the EV, which is £123 more than the Hybrid. Until some radical changes are made, that’ll remain a tough pill to swallow for retail buyers looking to make the switch to an EV.

Fleetwatch

The Peugeot E-2008 threw up an unexpected warning recently, suggesting it required a service after less than four months and 4,500 miles. I was a little surprised, but to be safe, I called a contact at Peugeot HQ. It turns out my car had mistakenly been placed on an “arduous” service schedule during its pre-delivery inspection (PDI). I was told not to worry, and that a quick home reset would fix the issue. Normal service should soon be resumed.

Peugeot E-2008 GT: second report

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Our Peugeot EV and classic BMW may be the perfect two-car garage

• Mileage: 3,811
• Efficiency: 4.1mi/kWh

The idea of the ‘perfect two-car garage’ often comes up in conversation in the Auto Express office. Some of my colleagues favour something big and practical alongside a small and sporty model, while others refuse to acknowledge that they’ll ever spend time in traffic, or on bumpy roads, and clearly never visit the tip or a builders’ merchant. It appears many are (theoretically) prepared to live with a pair of stripped-out race cars, day in, day out.

But if I had to choose two cars to live with from now until the end of time, I know exactly which way I’d point. It’s a solution that’s been drawn into sharper focus during my time with our Peugeot E-2008. It might not be perfect for long motorway slogs, but as something to jump in and out of Monday to Friday, commuting to the office or airport, it’s ideal.

Yet the true benefit of running such a simple car day to day has been hopping into my classic BMW 2002 at the weekend. Driving the electric Peugeot makes my seventies saloon feel so raw and analogue; the heavy steering, manual gearbox and complete lack of creature comforts mean it’s not necessarily a car for popping to the shops, but for enjoying on high days and holidays.

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That’s not to do the Peugeot a disservice. I love how easy it is to park, its impressive efficiency, and even its big boot, which, with the parcel shelf removed, swallowed all we needed for a weekend of glamping before my daughter started school last week. 

The E-2008 is a doddle to drive around town, where I like to lean on its progressive regenerative brakes. The set-up isn’t strong enough for one-pedal driving, but it slows the car gently in stop-start traffic and feeds precious energy into the battery. Then, when the road opens up, the small steering wheel makes the car feel darty and keen to turn in.

That’s something that’s had me searching online auction sites in recent weeks, actually. Hopping into the BMW after a stint in the 2008 feels like you’re piloting the car with a discarded bin lid. So I’m now after something more compact; a smaller steering wheel should make the BMW feel a bit more agile and playful on the kind of roads I enjoy.

Of course, while my classic car does have a stereo (and USB connectivity, for what it’s worth), I rarely use it. The four-speed gearbox means the engine is screaming at 65-70mph, and if it’s a warm day, I’ll have the windows lowered a fraction to help with ventilation. There are no such problems in the Peugeot, although I have noticed that my phone gets alarmingly warm while charging wirelessly – especially if I’m running maps or media through Apple CarPlay.

I’m now just over three months and 3,500 miles in, and efficiency is improving all the time. That glamping trip to Dorset saw the car average 4.6mi/kWh over almost 400 miles – even factoring in the higher-speed stuff down the M3. A recent journey back from Heathrow showed 5.5mi/kWh on the trip computer.

In short, while neither of my cars is perfect on their own, together, they come pretty close. The combination is arguably the best way of continuing to enjoy driving long past any rules or restrictions on the sale of new cars that come into force in the future.

Peugeot E-2008 GT: first report

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Our new arrival is immediately pressed into service for a family holiday

• Mileage: 2,055
• Efficiency: 4.0mi/kWh

You may have noticed more and more Auto Express staffers are taking their electric test cars on holiday. Only a few weeks ago editor-at-large John McIlroy drove his Polestar 2 to France, proving there’s now very little to stop EV owners venturing further and further afield.

So the fact that just days after taking delivery of our new Peugeot E-2008 I drove it to deepest Cornwall, isn’t that newsworthy. Indeed, I’ve driven upwards of 40,000 miles in various electric cars over the last five or six years – including the same trip to the West Country three summers on the trot.

Every June, we travel to a tiny hamlet called St Anthony-in-Meneage just outside Helston. It’s about 20 miles from Falmouth, but once you’ve arrived, it feels like you’re stepping back in time. There’s no shop, no post office – not even a pub.

Yet it’s the perfect place for a mental detox. Providing the weather is kind, there is honestly no place I’d rather be – enjoying the fresh air and the calm creek with my extended family, it’s perfect for sailing, walking, and even a spot of paddle boarding.

The place is a complete time-warp – something that was only emphasised when Sean, one of the people responsible for keeping the coastal community ticking over, turned up on his Ford tractor to pull one of the many boats from the water.

While my knowledge of vintage farm machinery leaves a little to be desired, I’m led to believe this specific example dates back to the mid-sixties. Wikipedia (not the most reliable source, admittedly) tells me it’s likely powered by a three-cylinder water-cooled engine with around 35bhp.

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So if the juxtaposition of taking an EV to these parts wasn’t evident enough already, Sean’s noisy arrival brought the Cornish contrasts with my latest fleet car into sharp focus. The Peugeot certainly isn’t the most cutting-edge car on sale, but it felt like a spaceship in this company.

The 2008 did us proud over the course of a week and 700-odd miles. It’s on the smaller end of the family-car scale, and at times, the 154bhp front-mounted motor did feel a bit laboured with two adults, a toddler, and all our luggage on board. But we were never in a hurry, so easing off and letting the world go by became the priority.

I’ve averaged a respectable 4.0 miles/kWh over the first 1,800 miles, although a lot of that has been longer motorway stints. 

I’ve seen as much as 5.5mi/kWh around town using the ‘B’ mode to ramp up the regenerative braking and feed power back into the battery. It’s not strong enough for one-pedal driving, but it’s pretty well judged and feels progressive in its application, even when you need a bit more stopping power.

Our car is the range-topping E-2008 GT, which looks relatively expensive in a market dominated by models like the Hyundai Kona, MG4, and even our newly announced Car of the Year – the Citroen e-C3. As such, you’d be mad to buy the Peugeot outright; but find an affordable PCP or lease deal, and there is plenty to pique the interest.

As standard, you get all-round LED lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, climate control, a 10-inch HD touchscreen with 180-degree reversing camera, and Peugeot’s polarising i-Cockpit instrument cluster. This forces you to look over the steering wheel (rather than through it) to see your speed and trip info, and while I don’t find it too much of a challenge, a couple of colleagues say they’ve found it hard to get truly comfortable.

It’s a shame, because the 2008 strikes a good balance in this regard. It’s darty enough to be fun on a twisty back road, small enough to navigate easily around town, and soft enough to soak up the lumps and bumps on the motorway. The seats could do with a little more support, but I’ve recently discovered the massage function that’s fitted to my car, which seems to keep the blood circulating in my back after a couple of hours at the wheel.

Seems there’s plenty to unpick in the coming months, then. The biggest question, though, will be how private buyers could (or should) justify the Peugeot when more affordable – and often more modern – alternatives are already flooding the new-car market. More on that in a future report.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.