2024 Peugeot e-208: Nissan Leaf, GWM Ora, and MG4 rival from France looks to get two battery sizes, but will it be more competitively priced?

Peugeot is about to bring back its diminutive 208 hatchback in exclusively electric form.

New information submitted to NSW’s rover infrastructure database has the electric car arriving with both battery options available overseas.

This means Australians should have the choice of two e-208 grades, although it might not be as affordable as some may hope. The presence of 17-inch wheels indicates that it will be exclusively a top-spec GT or GT-Line affair, as the more affordable Active and Allure versions wear 16-inch wheels overseas.

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The freshly facelifted e-208 launched overseas with the choice of either a 50kWh or 51kWh battery pack, offering either 360km or 400km of driving range respectively. The standard 50kWh version gets a 100kW/260Nm electric motor, while the 51kWh version gets a slight boost to 115kW/260Nm.

This follows the brand’s existing strategy of primarily offering high-grade GT or GT-Line examples of its EVs and plug-in hybrids. However, earlier this week, the slow-selling Peugeot e-2008 small SUV sold out in days following a massive $20,000 price-cut (down to $39,990 drive-away) as the brand moved to clear its MY23 stock. The EV will not be on sale again until Q1 of 2025, when the facelifted version is set to land. A Peugeot Australia spokesperson said the brand wouldn't divulge the numbers, but suffice to say "demand was very high".

Time will tell if Peugeot will adjust its price-point

Time will tell if the French automaker will adjust its price-point in light of the need to discount its initial e-2008 offering so heavily. A brand spokesperson only said that pricing for its update and the e-208 were yet to be confirmed, but that the brand was "always evaluating the market" adding that the price-point for the MY23 e-2008 was strictly "an end of financial year offer".

Price continues to be a pain-point for many EVs and is a primary reason stopping Australian buyers from considering switching to electric. The Nissan Leaf also received a massive $18,000 price-cut this week as the Japanese brand struggles to stay competitive against newer arrivals such as the MG4, GWM Ora and BYD Dolphin.

Australians should have the choice of two grades

A further three Chinese automakers have confirmed their entry to the Australian market. Geely’s premium arm Zeekr, GAC and Xpeng all confirming their intention to have cars in Australia before the end of 2024.

Geely has signalled its imminent arrival by advertising for jobs in Sydney.

the MY23 e-2008 was

All should place significant price pressure on existing EV players such as Tesla, which has been forced to slash prices to stay competitive.

Stay tuned for more accurate pricing and spec closer to the e-208’s launch. It currently costs about AU$60,000 in top-spec GT form in its home market of France, and is even more expensive in the UK for the right-hand drive version.