Born with two plug-in hybrid engines of 180 and 225 hp in addition to a 1.2 Puretech 130 Auto 8, which was recently replaced by its Hybrid 136 variant, the Peugeot 408 has so far had a little difficulty finding its audience. Even if it sells about twice as much as the 508, with 4,278 copies. against 2,173 examples. over the first nine months of 2024, it is impossible to speak of commercial success. In an attempt to attract new customers, this original silhouette, hesitating between a low coupe SUV and a slightly raised sedan, now adds a 100% electric version to its catalog. This Peugeot e-408 is even the only real novelty brought by the brand to the 2024 Paris Motor Show. It remains to be seen whether it will be able to stem registrations down 31% compared to last year. Nothing is less certain as electric sales are difficult here and in Europe at the moment.
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More autonomy than a Peugeot e-308
Peugeot has, however, done what is necessary to make its 408 zero emissions more attractive than an e-308 for example, of which it takes the technical basis while improving it. Also based on the EMP2 platform adapted to electricity, this Peugeot e-408 receives a modified floor in order to accommodate, in its extended wheelbase, a battery larger than that of its little sister since it climbs here by 51 kWh at 58.2 useful kWh. This makes it possible to announce 453 km of autonomy on the nice WLTP approval cycle, compared to only 416 km for the E-308. Figures which, although an improvement compared to the compact Lion, hardly impress compared to what the electrics in this category offer, both in terms of battery and autonomy.
210 hp under the hood… in Sport mode
Under the front hood, the Peugeot e-408 also does better than the e-308. It adopts the permanent magnet electric motor from the Peugeot e-3008 and e-5008, a unit built in France at Trémery, the result of the joint venture with Nidec. With 210 hp and 345 Nm, only available in Sport mode, this block drops to 190 hp and 300 Nm in Normal mode, and is limited to 170 hp and 270 Nm in ECO mode in order to favor autonomy over performance. To ensure safety when necessary, Sport mode, however, engages automatically and temporarily if the driver presses the accelerator, in the event of overtaking for example. Three regenerative braking settings are available and controlled by the steering wheel paddles: a low one at 0.6 m/s2, a medium one at 1.3 m/s2, and a last one increased to 2 m/s2 for maximum regeneration of the regenerative braking. battery when releasing the accelerator.
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Fast charging at just 120 kW
The Peugeot e-408 is equipped as standard with an on-board charger accepting 11 kW in three phases, while fast charging on the Superchargers is limited to only 120 kW, which is a little low compared to what the competition offers. Peugeot also announces a time of just over 30 minutes to recharge… from 20 to 80%. Here again, quite a few rivals do better. In order to optimize long journeys, this original sedan offers a route planner as standard taking into account, to offer you the most efficient charging stops, the distance to be covered, the battery charge level at departure and that desired upon arrival, consumption, traffic, type of road, height difference as well as that the charging stations available at the destination.
ChatGPT aboard the Peugeot e-408
In addition, Peugeot offers the My Peugeot application allowing, from your smartphone, to program or launch a charge, thermal pre-conditioning, or activate a welcome light sequence in order to locate your car in a parking lot. On board, apart from the displays specific to electric vehicles (no rev counter, display of the battery charge level, the level of regenerative braking chosen, etc.)and the arrival of ChatGPT if you wish to communicate with your car, nothing changes on this dashboard taken from the 308. Only the trunk, as on plug-in hybrids, loses a little volume compared to the Hybrid 136 (471 Dm3 against 536 Dm3) presumably to accommodate part of the larger battery.
Two very well equipped finishes
Orders are already open, and the prices for this Peugeot e-408, which will be offered in two finishes, Allure and GT, are very competitive, especially compared to the 225 hp PHEV variant (the 180 hp PHEV has disappeared). The first level, billed at €43,900 before deducting the €4,000 bonus, is already very well equipped with 19-inch rims, heated driver’s seats and steering wheel, dual-zone auto air conditioning, cameras and radars. reversing as well as LED projectors. Unlike the Peugeot e-3008 and e-5008, the Peugeot e-408 even offers the heat pump as standard, which is so important for preserving range in cold weather. The GT, priced at €45,900, still before bonuses, adds the Matrix LED headlights, the 3D instrument cluster, the electric tailgate, aluminum door sills, laminated front windows as well as level 2 autonomous driving (adaptive cruise control coupled with lane centering). FYI, a 408 PHEV 225 hp GT requires €51,250, and is not entitled to any bonus. The electric is therefore almost €10,000 less than the rechargeable hybrid. And still in GT, this E-408 is even, bonus deducted, only €900 more expensive than a Hybrid 136…If Peugeot very strongly wanted to direct its customers towards electric it would not do otherwise! Finally, like all the brand’s electric models except utility vehicles and their derivatives, this e-408 benefits from an 8-year or 160,000 km warranty. Enough to reassure when the reputation of the Stellantis group has been lastingly damaged by the multiple problems of the three-cylinder 1.2 Puretech, now renamed.
