French lion’s new small crossover SUV is one of the most affordable continental electric cars now in Singapore

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SINGAPORE

Peugeot has never really been much of a mainstream automotive act in Singapore, though the brand was never really about sales volume here. The new e-2008 is a perfect example of this. As we reported during the launch of the car in Singapore, the first shipment of the e-2008 had completely sold out to Peugeot’s existing mailing list customers, even before the official launch date. The thing is, Peugeot traditionally doesn’t allocate many cars to countries like Singapore so don’t expect it to flood the streets like other Japanese crossover SUVs.

Fret not though, as the dealership Autofrance has confirmed that more stock will be here before the end of 2022, but best get your orders in early if you want one. 

It’s one of the most affordable continental electric cars that you can now buy in Singapore, with the other one in the same price range being its Stellantis stablemate, the Opel Mokka-e which shares many components with this Peugeot. 

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Design and Interior 

The car follows the present Peugeot design language and at first glance looks practically identical to the 1.2-litre petrol-powered Peugeot 2008. It doesn’t go out of the way to scream “I’m electric!” like a Tesla, and to many customers that can be actually a good, low-key thing.

The only obvious signs of this being a battery-powered car at the ‘e’ badges on the flank and rear nameplate. Peugeot’s cabin architecture is one of the more unique ones in the industry, but here the integration is so seamless that it looks like they simply rewired the controls from the ‘regular’ petrol version of the car. 

But the reality is, it’s quite different under the skin. The big slab of lithium ion batteries under the floor sends voltage to the single electric motor under the bonnet, which drives the front wheels. There’s a modest 130 horsepower on offer, which is the same as what the petrol version of the car offers but the electric version is slower on account of its heavier weight. 

If you’ve not stepped into a Peugeot in recent years, the small steering wheel and high-mount instrument binnacle may look quirky, but in use it’s actually very ergonomic, arguably better than the traditional layout of a largish steering wheel and dials seen through the spokes. Power-assisted steering, or simply power steering these days, is practically the default setup these days so a large steering wheel is no longer required for leverage. In turn, placing the dials above the wheel puts them closer to the driver’s line of sight so you don’t need to look down.

The 3D instrument panel of the e-2008 is a pretty thing. The old Honda CR-Z Hybrid coupe had a similar setup. Clever use of optics and multiple layers of clear plastic make the digital numbers appear to be floating in tiers on the display. It’s impossible to convey the look in a photograph and you’ll need your stereo vision to see it in person. 

Connectivity is a given these days, so Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are supported. It’s still a suitably high-tech, posh-feeling interior that hasn’t aged at all since this design language was introduced a couple of years ago. 

The 2008 series is the smallest of the Peugeots you can currently buy in Singapore, and what we said about the petrol version holds true here as well. It’s small but not cramped. Four adults will fit comfortably, though with five people it can get uncomfortable over longer distances. 

It’s a very comfortable size of car for families with one or two children, but the high window sill at the rear may have young kids grumbling about not being able to see much even when strapped into height-raising car seats. At worst, let them stare at the sky overhead through the large sunroof.

Want a bigger Peugeot crossover SUV? There’s the 3008 and seven-seater 5008, both with engines just small enough to sneak into the Category A COE segment, though if you want electric power the e-2008 is the only one you can get. 

To Page 2: Driving Experience and Competition

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