2023 Peugeot E-Partner is go

The 2023 Peugeot E-Partner will become available to Aussies by mid-2023, when the small electric commercial van will become the French brand’s first EV in Australia.

Peugeot is yet to outline pricing or specifications for the E-Partner, which will be offered exclusively in long-wheelbase form.

It will compete with the Renault Kangoo E-Tech, which is also set to arrive in the first half of this year.

Based on the same EMP2 platform architecture as the combustion-powered versions, the Peugeot E-Partner swaps out its conventional engines for an electric motor (100kW/260Nm) driving the front wheels and is aimed at urban and inner-city drivers.

Charging the 50kWh battery via a 100kW public fast-charger will take around 30 minutes, says Peugeot.

The Peugeot E-Partner’s 50kWh lithium-ion battery requires charging at least every 275km (WLPT), which is well below the diesel version’s fuel range.

The battery-powered van’s towing capacity is also lower than its diesel equivalent, but the 898kg payload remains the same as the diesel version and Peugeot says it will retain “…100% of the functionality of conventional diesel versions”.

Following in the footsteps of Ford, whose first EV to land in Australia will also be a commercial van (the delayed Ford E-Transit), the compact Peugeot E-Partner is smaller than both the E-Transit and the mid-size E-Transit Custom that will follow it in early 2024, which means it will be more affordable than both Ford electric vans.

Fleets, governments and small business are tipped to be early adopters of the range of electric commercial vehicles headed to Australia over the coming years.

“We are confident that the arrival of our first electric vehicle will provide new avenues for growth for the brand as well as further choice for discerning Peugeot LCV customers wanting to make the move to electric,” said Kate Gillis, managing director at Peugeot Australia.

The French brand has confirmed it will only sell electric vehicles in Europe from 2030.

It’s not clear where Peugeot’s local EV strategy will go after the launch of the E-Partner, with electric models such as the E-208 small hatchback and E-2008 small SUV both possible since the French brand’s local importer has expressed a desire to offer them in Australia.

The next big EV launch for the brand is the Peugeot E-3008, which will be the first EV based on parent company Stellantis’ all-new STLA Medium electric vehicle platform.

In time all Peugeot EVs, including commercial vehicles, will migrate to the new STLA platform family, which will deliver improved battery tech and e-motors, greater range and cutting-edge connectivity and infotainment systems.

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