Peugeot E-308 first drive | stylish, sophisticated and emission-free

Peugeot’s entrance into the fully-electric part of the C-segment market has been a long time coming, but its E-308 ensures it has arrived in style.

It builds on what was an already impressive and sophisticated vehicle with a smooth, zero-emission fully electric powertrain.

The E-308 offers a premium interior to match its stylish looks, an engaging drive and a WLTP range of more than 250 miles.

It is, however, more costly than some of its rivals, which also offer greater practicality and range.

Overview

The 308 hatchback and SW estate have long been among the front-runners in the C-sector with, for example, the ICE and plug-in hybrid range being a finalist in the Best Lower Medium Car category at this year’s Fleet News Awards.

However as no fully-electric version was available, drivers wanting a C-segment BEV have had to look towards cars such as the Volkswagen ID3, Renault Megane E-Tech and MG4.

That has now changed with the launch of the E-308, which closely follows its Stellantis stablemate the Vauxhall Astra Electric - based on the same eVMP platform - to market.

E-308 is available in both hatchback and SW estate bodystyles. P11D prices for the E-308 hatchback start at £39,995 for Allure trim level hatchback, rising to £42,195 for GT. The SW Estate costs about £1,500 more.

Comfort and practicality

Stellantis positions Peugeot as its premium brand and this is reflected throughout the E-308. It looks sophisticated inside and out, with its appearance enhanced by a feeling of quality throughout.

The cabin will provide few surprises for anyone familiar with the interior of the current generation 308, as it features the same sculpted fascia dominated by a central 10-inch infotainment touchscreen.

Build quality is high and the materials used are a pleasing mix of soft-touch and textures, and these stand up well in a comparison to those found in traditional premium brands.

There’s plenty of room for front seat passengers, but those in the rear are not so lucky. Compared to some rivals, E-308 feels slightly cramped in the back, but there’s still enough room for children and small adults to be comfortable.

Boot space with the rear seats in place is 362 litres, in the hatchback, comparable to class competitors such as the Vauxhall Astra Electric (352 litres), rising to 1,261 litres when the rear seats are folded down. 

The SW is more practical with 548 litres of boot space, rising to 1,574 litres with the rear seats folded. These figures are identical to the plug-in hybrid 308.

Safety and technology

The 308 was last year awarded a four-star safety rating by Euro NCAP.  Standard safety equipment on E-308 includes adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, long-range blind spot monitoring, and rear traffic alert, which warns of hazards when reversing.

Like the rest of the Peugeot passenger car range, E-308 features the manufacturer's i-Cockpit, which has a compact steering wheel positioned low down, which the driver looks over the top of to see a high-set digital instrument display. For some drivers this may make finding a comfortable driving position more of a challenge.

As mentioned in the previous section, the infotainment system is controlled through a centrally-mounted touchscreen. The display is sharp and clear. It is supplemented by a secondary panel below it, which can be configured with shortcuts to give direct access to selected features, instead of having to navigate through menus.

The E-308 also features a dedicated screen within the infotainment system for drivers to monitor all aspects of the electric powertrain.

Information this displays includes energy flow from the battery to the motor, as well as the energy recovery when the regenerative braking mode is activated.

Drivers can also see information and statistics related to energy consumption, as well as check the battery status and programme a delayed charge.

Users can also access the MyPeugeot smartphone app, with features services dedicated to the E-308. This includes the ability to view the battery charge status, start charging remotely, schedule a charging session and program the pre-conditioning system.

Driveability and range

The E-308 is available with just one powertrain: a 54kWh battery and a 158PS motor that drives the front wheels. Its maximum range is 236 - 267 miles (WLTP). A heat pump is included as standard for greater efficiency and comfort.

Based on our experience, the E-308 is capable of around 3.7mi/kWh in mixed driving. This provides a real-world range of 190 miles. The estate performs almost identically, although if the car is fully laden with luggage or passengers then expect a little less.

Official 0-62mph acceleration time is 9.8 seconds which means the e-308 is no hot-hatch, but in normal day-to-day driving it feels like it has more performance than that; there is plenty of go if needed. In the standard driving mode the throttle pedal feels numb and largely unresponsive. While this helps the driver to maximise efficiency, it does make the car feel heavier and less responsive than it actually is. Switch to the Sport driving mode and the car feels more lively, although its modest power output does put it on the back-foot when compared to rivals.

One advantage of the E-308’s small steering wheel is its chunky feel in the hands, and although light around town, the steering weights up well at increased speeds to give a more sporting character.

The electric powertrain is very smooth and quiet, while the ride, although slightly firm, is not harsh, while noise isolation over bumps and poor surfaces is excellent.

Company car tax and running costs

All E-308s sit in the 2% benefit-in-kind tax band, meaning a company car driver (20% taxpayer) opting for Allure trim will face a monthly bill of £13. For GT, this rises to £14 per month. You can compare company car tax and running costs by clicking here.

Running costs over a four-year/80,000-mile cycle are 55p per mile.

Charging speeds

3-pin plug: 14hrs 40m

7kW wallbox: 7hrs 20m

11kW AC: 5hr 46m

100kW rapid: 30m (20% to 80%)