The Peugeot 508 SW Plug-In Hybrid: The Complete Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

For those keen on an overview of the Indian electric vehicle (EV) market and the different types of electric vehicles (EVs), simply scroll down to the end of the article!

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The Peugeot 508 SW PHEV

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Peugeot is part of the Netherlands based Stellantis N.V., which was formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Italian/ American) and Groupe PSA (French). You may not be familiar with these names, but the automotive brands in the portfolio would be well known to most consumers. These include: Maserati, Opel, Vauxhall, Jeep, FIAT, Alfa Romeo etc. The company’s portfolio of electric vehicles (EVs) include:

• The all-electric Peugeot e-2008
• The all-electric Peugeot e-208
• Peugeot 308 PHEV
• Peugeot 308 SW PHEV
• Peugeot 3008 PHEV
• Peugeot 508 PHEV
• Peugeot 508 SW PHEV
• The all-electric Peugeot e-Rifter
• Peugeot e-Traveller PHEV

The Peugeot 508 family car has been manufactured since 2010. The 508 SW (estate) was launched in 2015. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) variant was released in 2019. The electric vehicle (EV) is available as a front-wheel drive (FWD).

The estate car (station wagon) segment has had no shortage of options that offer ‘spaciousness’. However, very few offer style, alongside practicality, that too in an environmentally-friendly electric estate car. The Peugeot 508 SW plug-in hybrid is one of the few estates, that combines good looks, practicality and lower tailpipe emission (38g CO2/km) in the same vehicle.

Given the hugely compelling sporty exterior styling, coupled with a decent level of standard kit, the 508 SW plug-in can attract, both premium badge and non-premium badge buyers. The Peugeot EV is suitable for both families and company-car drivers. Both have the opportunity to lower motoring costs by leveraging the onboard electric motor and EV battery to drive on electric mode. As is the case with electric driving, leveraging the e-mode in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, helps lower the cost of motoring.

The Peugeot 508 plug-in electric car has a 11.8 kWh onboard EV battery, with a claimed zero-emission electric range up to 39 miles (WLTP certified). However, the real-world EV range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors, to include: driving profile, speed, passenger load, weather, wheel size, road condition etc. Assuming a 30 mile emission-free electric range is more realistic, which will be sufficient for most shorter commutes. The EV also has regenerative braking to increase the electric range.

If your driving is predominantly motorway and long-distances, it would be a challenge to leverage the benefits of zero-tailpipe emission electric driving with this PHEV. However, if the majority of your travel is shorter distances (school-runs, work, grocery store, gym, high street etc), then the e-mode will certainly prove to be useful in saving money.

Peugeot claims a fuel economy up to 235.4 mpg, but achieving this will require using the onboard electric motor, powered by the EV battery on a regular basis. As is the case with the real-world electric range, expect the real-world fuel economy to be lower than the manufacturer claimed figures.

The Peugeot 508 SW HYBRID 225 e-EAT8 pairs a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor (80kW), delivering a maximum combined 225 HP and 266 Nm torque. The estate electric car can achieve 0-62 mph in 8.3 seconds. The top speed of the EV is 155 mph (84 mph on pure electric mode). Certainly suitable for city and motorway driving.

There is also the option of a higher performance Peugeot 508 SW PHEV i.e. with a Hybrid 360 e-EAT8 4WD (Peugeot Sport Engineered). This EV delivers a combined output up to 355 HP and 384 Nm. It can achieve 0-62 mph in 5.2 seconds. Of course, for the higher performance, the EV range has to be compromised and this variant has a claimed electric range up to 26 miles. The PHEV offers 5 driving modes, to include: electric, 4WD, sport, hybrid and comfort.

Like the other Peugeots PHEVs, the 508 plug-in hybrid also uses the EMP2 platform. The EV has three driving modes: hybrid, electric and sport. Of course, using the sport mode will reduce the fuel economy of the PHEV.

The EV can be fully charged in 1 hour and 45 minutes (7 kW onboard charger) via a dedicated single-phase EV home charging station like easee. The manufacturer offers a 3.7 kW onboard charger as standard, but offers the option to upgrade to a 7 kW onboard charger, at an additional cost. Charging time using a 3.7 kW onboard charger will be up to 4 hours. The EV does not offer fast DC charging capability.

Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which again is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car. A ‘topping up’ approach to charging will help improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle and also improve the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Peugeot offers a warranty up to 8 years or 100,000 miles for the battery (70% of original capacity).

The interior quality is high and the manufacturer offers a good level of standard technology and features, to include: driver assist pack, lane keeping assist, speed limit recognition, blind spot detection, driver attention warning, 12.3″ touchscreen with 3D navigation and more. The PHEV has been awarded a Five-Stars NCAP safety rating. In terms of practicality, though the 508 SW does not offer class-leading interior space and boot volume (530 L), it still offers abundant practicality.

The Peugeot 508 SW plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
An affordable family estate PHEV	Standard on board charger only 3.7 kW (option to upgrade to 7.2 kW at an additional cost)
Good electric range (up to 39 miles)	Alternatives are more fun to drive
Good looking estate family car	Touchscreen can be improved

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The Peugeot 508 SW PHEV (credit: Peugeot)

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One of the key advantages of driving an electric vehicle (EV), is that, it is cheaper to drive, compared to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE), petrol and diesel vehicles. For many years, we have witnessed a significant increase in prices at petrol pumps across India. However, this is not an ‘India’ only trend, but a global trend. We can continue to expect an inflation in global petrol and diesel prices for the foreseeable future.

Both, a pure electric car and a plug-in hybrid electric car, offer significant savings on driving costs per mile, when driven on zero-tailpipe emission electric mode. In India, filling a petrol or diesel car can cost anything between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. As an example, the very popular Audi Q7 diesel SUV has a fuel capacity of 85 litres. Assuming an average cost per litre of Rs 90, the cost of filling a full tank will be up to Rs 7,650!

In comparison, the all-electric Audi e-tron SUV , which is now available in India, and a similar size to the Audi Q7, can be fully recharged for less than Rs 1,000. Put another way, charging the Audi electric SUV, can save up to 85% compared to filling a full tank of fuel (in India, the average cost for residential electricity is between Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kWh).

At an average one can expect a cost per km of Rs 1 for a zero-emission EV, while for an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle, the cost per km could be up to Rs 7 per km. The annual cost savings achieved by switching to electric driving is significant! The sooner you switch to green cars, the sooner you can start saving money. That is simply the bottom-line!

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
Body Type:	Estate
Engine:	Petrol-Electric
Available In India:	No

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Variants (3 Options)
Allure Premium
GT
GT Premium

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 11.8 kWh
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.7 kW standard (0% – 100%: 4 hrs). 7.4 kW AC optional (0% – 100%: 2 hrs)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	29 – 38g (CO2/km)
Warranty:	8 years or 100,000 miles

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1420
Width (mm):	1859
Length (mm):	4778
Wheelbase (mm):	2793
Turning Circle (m):	11.9
Boot Space (L):	530

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Peugeot 508 HYBRID 225 e-EAT8
EV Battery Capacity:	11.8 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	33 – 39 miles
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km):	N/A
Fuel Consumption (MPG):	166.2 – 235.4
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.7 kW standard (0% – 100%: 4 hrs). 7.4 kW AC optional (0% – 100%: 2 hrs)
Top Speed:	155 mph (pure electric mode: 84 mph)
0-62 mph:	8.3 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel Drive (FWD)
Max Power (hp):	225
Torque (Nm):	266
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Kerb Weight (kg):	1,720
Colours:	7
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Cheap Electric Cars Available In India

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Ask any expert on electric vehicles (EVs) the key success factors for the rapid adoption of electric driving. Affordability, range and EV charging infrastructure are always identified as key to the successful uptake of EVs, with affordability taking centre stage in the narrative. This holds true for all countries, to include India.

In fact, it can be argued, that for a country like India, with a GDP per capita of less that US$ 2,000, the need for affordable electric cars is even more pronounced. It is true, in that, driving an electric car per mile, is significantly cheaper than driving an internal combustion engine (ICE) petrol or diesel vehicle. However, apart from running and maintenance costs, the purchase cost is also a key determinant in the decision making of a buyer.

Though India has witnessed an increase in activity in the introduction of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), the price tag for the majority of pure electric cars (also known as BEVs), is beyond the reach of most families and businesses in India. As an example, the phenomenally fast (and good looking) Audi RS e-tron GT BEV is priced at Rs 2.05 crores. It is simply only ‘affordable’ for a very small percentage of the consumer base in India.

For the adoption of electric driving to gather momentum in India, the introduction and availability of cheaper electric cars is vital! The availability of EVs priced below Rs 20 lakhs will be instrumental in encouraging buyers to migrate to electric driving. Despite the lack of affordable electric cars in India, there is a glimmer of hope, in that, there are a few affordable pure electric cars currently available in India. We would encourage local and global automotive manufacturers to develop and introduce electric vehicles better suited for the family budget in India. Moreover, the support of government subsidies and grants will also be important in the uptake of EVs in India.

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EV	Type Of EV	Price
Hyundai Kona Electric	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 23.79 Lakhs
MG ZS EV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 21.49 Lakhs
Tata Tigor EV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 11.99 Lakhs
Tata Nexon	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 14.24 Lakhs

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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