Presented with great fanfare at its historic factory in Sochaux, the new Peugeot 3008, redesigned in SUV coupe mode, is entering the all-electric era with the promise of reaching 700 kilometers of autonomy.
That’s it. After a tease worthy of the largest production companies, Peugeot finally unveiled, this Tuesday, September 12, its new version of the 3008. The third generation of the Lion brand’s best-seller, the second opus of which was marketed from 2016 sold more than 1.3 million copies, was presented in the historic Sochaux production plant, a great first for the manufacturer. The new SUV, whose interior was revealed in June to present the new Peugeot Panoramic i-Cockpit equipped with a spectacular 21-inch screen, has reinvented itself in coupe mode with a more dynamic, refined and aerodynamic.
To offer this fastback style, the designers have increased the dimensions of the SUV, notably in length with an extension of 9 centimeters (4m54), but also in width (1m89.5cm) and in height (1m64.2cm). But if the rear window has been widely inclined, its roofline is not plunging like on traditional coupes, the brand having preferred to preserve the interior space which also made the success of the model. For the rest, as we have already written in recent weeks, the 3008 now adopts the brand’s new light signature. Three claws appear at the front as an extension of the thinner, vertical LED headlights. The brand’s new coat of arms, the Lion’s head, is inserted in the center of an imposing grille. The rear of the vehicle is more massive than its predecessor. It notably accommodates a horizontal black strip connecting the two lights placed at the ends of the bodywork.
Under the hood, there is also something new. This is perhaps even where Peugeot shows itself to be the most enterprising. With ”its ambition to offer an electric range for its entire range from 2025 and 100% of electric sales in Europe for 2030”, the manufacturer has made a clear decision: the 3008 from 2023 will not be available in 100% thermal engine on the European market, whether gasoline or diesel. A small revolution and a real bet for the brand when we know the price difference that exists today between gasoline or diesel engines and hybrid and even more so electric engines. Electricity is also the great novelty of the Sochaux SUV. The manufacturer’s first model to be produced on the Stellantis group’s new STLA Medium platform, it will for the first time be available 100% electric, like the 208 and 2008 cousins.
And for its arrival on the market of “green energy” vehicles, the 3008 is not going to do things by halves. Offered in three engines, it will be able to travel up to 700 kilometers according to Peugeot with the 230 horsepower engine associated with the 98 kWh battery known as ”High Autonomy”. For comparison, the new Renault Scénic E-Tech, presented last week, announces a range of 610 kilometers. The benchmark Tesla Model X can drive up to 580 kilometers on a full charge.
By significantly redesigning the lines of a model that has brought it so much money in recent years and by choosing to go even further in its electric offering, Peugeot is taking a real risk in a hyper-competitive segment. But by offering quite remarkable autonomy – which remains one of the main questions for customers wishing to turn to electric – the Lion brand hopes to succeed. Speaking of cost, that of this new 3008, which will be marketed from February 2024, has not yet been announced.
