Test: Peugeot e-308 SW – Remained so nice and normal

The BlueHDi was of course mainly driven for the tax benefit. Is this also the case with the new electric Peugeot 308?

For serious tax benefits, you actually no longer need to drive electric. After all, the additional tax benefit is minimal and can quickly be offset by the higher purchase price of an EV, on which the additional tax is of course calculated. On the other hand, there is still no BPM levied on CO2-free electric cars while driving. It can happen that the e-308, which is not only available as a SW but also as a hatchback, is slightly cheaper than the plug-in hybrid versions that we already knew of this model. The electric Peugeot e-308 is available from €43,585, or €44,885 for the SW. Compared to the petrol versions, the EV is about €3,600 more expensive, at least if we take into account the extra standard equipment of the e-308, including steering wheel and seat heating and a series of assistance systems.

The Peugeot e-308 is available as a SW and as a hatchback. Striking: the panoramic roof is only available on the hatchback.

Are there any other similarities between that diesel and this EV?

Certainly, because just like the diesel, the Peugeot e-308 is nice and economical! Peugeot reports a consumption of 12.5 kWh per 100 kilometers, while a competitor developed purely as an EV, such as the Volkswagen ID.3, already uses around 15 kWh per 100 kilometers according to the same test cycle. We do not yet have a practical consumption estimate, although with the technically identical Opel Astra Electric we already achieved values ​​between 15 and 17 kWh per 100 km in the Dutch cold. Neat. Partly because of this, the relatively small battery is not likely to be a problem in practice. Charging is also smooth: you can get a maximum of 100 kW from the fast charger, which means a short stop precisely because of the small battery.

These wheels are unique to the electric version and are always on them.

I know another similarity: it is not as fast as the BlueHDi.

Agree. With 156 hp you are not really short of anything, but especially for an EV it sometimes feels a bit lethargic in the Spanish mountains. Not surprising, because this compact station wagon weighs almost 1,700 kg in electric form. On the other hand, due to the limited power, you rarely experience drive reactions in the steering wheel or excessive loss of grip, and the 308 also feels nice and neutral in electric form.

How does the Peugeot e-308 SW drive?

The steering is precise and direct and the absence of engine noise and shift jerks certainly makes driving more pleasant. However, the chassis is on the sturdy side. Peugeot seems to have chosen a firmer tuning for this than Opel for its sister model Astra Electric, and that makes the 308 clearly less forgiving. Short transverse ridges deliver an emphatic thump and the overcompensating dampers quickly make it clear that this 308 is a bit heavier than other 308s, although this will be less of an issue on the tight Dutch asphalt than in Spain.

Are there any more differences between an e-308 and a regular Peugeot 308?

Just like the exterior, the interior is actually identical to that of a normal 308.

Apart from the drivetrain, the e-308 is actually just a 308. The exterior looks exactly the same except for wheels and nameplates, just like the interior, and the operation also raises no questions. That is perhaps his greatest strength. After all, not everyone wants to be seen in a car that shouts electric from the rooftops, and certainly not everyone is enthusiastic about the over-digitalized, very minimalist interiors that such cars often have. The 308 is certainly modern on the inside, but also attractive and cozy. The infotainment system is certainly not the fastest or most logically laid out system we know, but it is doable.

So the Peugeot e-308 is quite good at being an EV, but is it also a good station wagon?

It is very impressive that the space available is not actually compromised. At least: if you compare the e-308 SW with the plug-in hybrid. Both versions offer the same loading space of 548 to 1,574 liters, albeit slightly less than a purely petrol-powered SW. Regardless of the chosen drivetrain, the 308 SW is disappointingly cramped in the back seat for a C-segment station wagon, a serious disadvantage. However, it is striking in a positive sense that the seating position neither here nor in the front suffers from the presence of a battery pack. Peugeot cleverly conceals this under the loading floor, rear seat and front seats and has thus generated a station wagon that in no way comes across as a forced compromise. That’s great, and proves that electrifying an existing model can be beneficial.

548 to 1,574 liters, and therefore exactly the same amount of luggage space as in the PHEV.