Peugeot was one of the European automaker that quickly realized that car buyers were moving away from traditional body styles like the hatchback, wagon, or sedan and opting for SUVs and crossovers instead. The French automaker has been doing quite well with its model lineup that features plenty of taller vehicles, and with the brand new E-3008, it wants to continue its success as it moves into the age of electric cars.

The all-new 2023 E-3008 is proof that Peugeot is at the top of its game since it was improved in the areas where changes were needed while leaving what already worked the same. Let’s look at what makes the new E-3008 better than any older Peugeot EV.

1. First Stellantis EV Built on the STLA Medium Platform

Stellantis is the automotive giant that was formed through the merger of Peugeot-Citroen with Fiat-Chrysler. The company has taken platforms from both automotive groups, improved and rebranded them, and named them according to the size of the vehicle they were destined for.

STLA Medium is the spiritual successor of Peugeot’s EMP2 platform, which was not an architecture created specifically for EVs, but it did allow for the creation of pure-electric variants of the models it underpinned. The E-3008 is the first Stellantis group vehicle to be built on the STLA Medium platform, and it’s considerably more capable than older vehicles it may be related to.

One of the big additions to the new platform is V2L (vehicle-to-load) charging capability, which allows electric vehicles to provide power for other uses. You can think of EVs with V2L as huge power banks on wheels.

Charging the new E-3008 is quicker than in any vehicle built on the old version of the platform. Whereas older EVs from the manufacturers all topped out at 100 kW, the new E-3008 has a peak charging speed of 160 kW, making it possible to take the battery from 20 to 80 percent in 30 minutes.

2. Available All-Wheel Drive

Another big addition brought about by the updated platform is the availability of both single- and dual-motor versions. If you wanted all-wheel drive in a Peugeot crossover in the past, you had to go for a plug-in hybrid model; all its EVs until now have been front-wheel drive machines with almost identical specs, so the addition of all-wheel drive is very significant for the Peugeot brand and the Stellantis group as a whole.

The base E-3008 has a single electric motor that drives the front wheels, with an output of 210 horsepower and 253 pound-feet (343 Newton-meters) of torque. This already makes it the most powerful production EV in the group’s history, but if you want even more performance, the dual-motor variant bumps power up to 320 horsepower, and it should launch off the line strongly even in low-grip conditions.

The third powertrain option is a slightly more muscular version of the single-motor base model. It bumps power up to 230 horsepower and draws from the biggest available battery pack. This is the long-range version of the model.

3. Up to 435 Miles WLTP Range

Compared to the simplicity of having the same motor and battery pack in all the manufacturer’s electric models, the choice of multiple powertrain and battery options might seem confusing at first. However, this configurability should make the E-3008 appeal to a much wider range of potential buyers than any previous Peugeot EV.

You can opt for a 73 kWh battery pack in the base front-wheel drive model, which has a WLTP range of 326 miles (525 km). Next is a dual-motor version that draws from the same pack, but, interestingly, even though it is heavier and theoretically has a higher power consumption with two motors drawing juice, Peugeot lists it as having the same expected range as the single-motor model.

The larger 98 kWh battery pack can only be paired with the 230 horsepower single-motor setup, and it provides 435 miles (700 km) on one charge. That makes it one of Europe’s longest-range EVs in its size category.

4. Dramatic Fastback-Style Exterior Design

The old 3008 was a good-looking crossover that found millions of homes in Europe and the other markets where it was sold. However, while the old model had the side profile of a typical crossover or SUV, the all-new electric model adopts a much bolder design approach.

If you view it from the side, you will notice the E-3008’s dramatic sloping roofline, which turns it into a fastback. This type of design puts the E-3008 in the coupe-like crossover/SUV category, and it’s certainly one of the most eye-catching vehicles with this body style.

The vehicle can be equipped with contrasting roof rails that accentuate the fastback shape, and they are connected in the rear by a spoiler. This is a model that many will buy based on looks alone; it’s that good.

The E-3008 Could Become Very Popular

Peugeot seems well attuned to what the market demands at any given point, and the all-new third-generation 3008 is testament to that. It is a small, fun, style-focused crossover that, for the first time, can be had as a pure EV, and not only that, but it’s also Peugeot’s first all-wheel drive electric offering.

Considering that Peugeot will also offer internal combustion engine and plug-in hybrid versions of this same vehicle, you can be sure its blend of qualities and the wide selection of power plants will make it hugely popular in Europe. And if you think the E-3008 is irrelevant to you if you live in North America, well, its STLA Medium platform, motors, and batteries will be used in vehicles from brands such as Jeep, Chrysler, or Ram.