New 2023 Peugeot e-308: EV hatchback to bring 250-mile range

Peugeot has confirmed the battery-electric variants of its 308 hatchback and SW estate will be more powerful, more efficient and have a longer range than its existing e-208 supermini.

The e-308 will join pure-combustion and plug-in hybrid variants of the family hatchback to complete the Peugeot 308 line up when it goes on sale next year.

As with other EVs in the Peugeot line-up, the e-308 has its motor, on-board charger and heat pump under the bonnet. The battery sits under the floor, mostly in spaces beneath the seats, while the boot remains the same size as the 308 plug-in hybrid.

The e-308 is front-wheel drive only and will come with just one powertrain option. It has a 400V battery with a 50kWh of usable capacity (54kWh gross). The motor makes 154bhp and 199lb ft, 20bhp more than the e-208 supermini. At approximately 1600kg, it weighs the same as the 308 plug-in hybrid.

The battery is only 4kWh bigger than the one in the smaller e-208 but Peugeot is claiming that a new NMC811 battery chemistry will give the car increased efficiency, of 5mi/kWh (12.4kWh/100km), "the best among the competition", according to Agnès Tesson-Faget, Peugeot's 308 brand project manager. That would give the e-308 a test cycle range of nearly 250 miles. It can be fast charged at up to 100kW.

The car is still some way from market but Peugeot is expecting it to account for a large chunk of 308 sales. “If we look at the portfolio we have today, the plug-in is already over 20% of orders and we expect the electric version to reach at least that ratio,” Tesson-Faget told Car of the Year jurors.

Peugeot's CEO Linda Jackson said that the company's multi-powertrain strategy - which means its cars can have internally combusted, plug-in hybrid and full electric variants of the same model - has been "a commercial success". 

"Peugeot was in the sales top three in Europe last year," Jackson said, "and electric versions made up 20% of sales in December 2021."

The e-308 will go into full production in July 2023, with deliveries shortly afterwards. Pricing will be announced nearer the time.