Plug-in Peugeot 3008 and 508 GTs locked in for Oz

Peugeot has locked in its electrified future Down Under, but its first local plug-in models – based on the 3008 mid-size SUV and 508 medium sedan – will arrive fashionably late and won’t come cheap.

Priced at $79,990 and $76,990 plus on-road costs respectively, the Peugeot 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid AWD and 508 GT Fastback Plug-in Hybrid are both now on sale but won’t arrive in Australia until the first quarter of next year.

That means the French brand’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models, which were previously due on sale here this year, will slide straight to the top of their respective ranges.

The all-wheel drive Peugeot 3008 PHEV will carry a hefty $25,000 premium over the current 3008 flagship, the new GT Sport 2WD variant ($54,990 plus ORCs), while the 508 PHEV sedan will check in $17,500 upstream of the flagship 508 GT Sportwagon ($59,490 plus ORCs) and $19,500 higher than the 508 GT Fastback on which it’s based ($57,490 plus ORCs).

In the case of the 3008, the extra outlay is offset at least somewhat by a heap of extra power and the default inclusion of all-wheel drive, not to mention the extra PHEV hardware.

Centred around a small-capacity turbocharged petrol engine good for 147kW, the 3008 GT Sport PHEV AWD’s powertrain develops a combined 222kW thanks to the inclusion of an axle-mounted electric motor at each end of the vehicle.

Developing 81kW and 83kW respectively, the motors are sustained by a 13.2kWh lithium-ion battery, yielding “up to” 60km (WLTP) of electric range and helping reduce CO2 emissions to “less than” 49g/km.

In terms of performance, Peugeot says the 3008 GT Sport PHEV AWD will hit 100km/h in around 6.5 seconds while a multi-link rear-end should ensure some extra agility, especially when paired with the all-wheel drive grip afforded by the dual-motor arrangement.

Transmission duties are taken care of by an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Standard equipment highlights include a configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch infotainment touch-screen, 10-speaker Focal premium sound system, Nappa leather upholstery, 19-inch alloy wheels and a ‘Black Pack’ exterior treatment that darkens the grille, badging, rear bumper strip, lower bumper, side door and front wing trims as well as the window surrounds.

As for the Peugeot 508 GT Fastback PHEV, its 165kW of power comes from the combination of a 133kW turbo-petrol engine and the same front axle-mounted 81kW electric motor as the 3008.

With only one motor in need of power, the 508 is fitted with a slightly smaller 11.8kWh battery, affording it a claimed 55km all-electric range.

Like the 3008, an eight-speed automatic transmission takes care of gear-shifting duties and the standard equipment highlights read largely the same too, save for the inclusion of two-tone 18-inch alloys rather than the SUV’s 19s.

Another omission is the lack of wagon body given the regular 508 GT is offered in both Fastback and Sportwagon guises.

According to a Peugeot Australia spokesperson, the brand’s local evaluation indicated the Fastback body style was better matched to “the local market expectations and requirements” than the Sportwagon.

However, evaluations are still continuing for the performance-focussed 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered (PSE) sports sedan.

Referencing the new models, Peugeot Australia general manager Kate Gillis said the brand was eager to introduce the PHEV duo as it “allows Peugeot to enter a new segment … and reach a new audience” of consumers.

“Peugeot’s plug-in hybrid electric vehicles offer our customers versatility, allowing them to experience 100 per cent electric driving whilst maintaining the choice to utilise the traditional combustion engine for longer journeys.”

Having recently announced an updated MY22 Partner, Expert and Boxer commercial van range, which also arrives here in early 2022, Peugeot Australia’s next electrified model will be the all-new 308 hatch, which could be available in mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric forms when it arrives in the second quarter of next year.