Peugeot is electrifying the next-generation 308 compact with two plug-in hybrid drivetrains that offer 60 km (37 miles) of battery-only range to challenge the segment-leading Volkswagen Golf GTE.
The new 308 is also longer and lower than the current model. It is built on an updated version of the EMP2 architecture developed by PSA Group (now part of Stellantis) that is used on compacts and midsize models from Citroen, DS Automobiles and Peugeot. There are also gasoline and diesel engines available.
The new will go on sale in the second half.
Peugeot has not announced prices, or when an expected station wagon version will be shown.
Compared with the current 308, the new car is 110 mm (4.3 inches) longer, its wheelbase has increased by 55 mm, and its height has been reduced by 20 mm.
There are two plug-in hybrid options: 225 hp, with a 180-hp gasoline engine and 81-kilowatt electric motor; and 180 hp, with a 150-hp gasoline engine and 81-kW electric motor. Peugeot says electric-only range is 60 km (37 miles), pending final WLTP certification.
Peugeot has not released CO2 emissions information, but the brand's other plug-in hybrids -- the 3008 compact SUV and 508 midsize hatchback and station wagon -- are certified for just under 50 grams per km.
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The new 308's 12.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery has a charging time of just under two hours with a 7.4-kW wallbox.
Non-hybrid options include a three-cylinder, 1.2-liter gasoline engine with 110 hp or 130 hp, and a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder diesel with 130 hp.
Inside, the 308 has the latest version of Peugeot's I-Cockpit, which has a small steering wheel that sits below the instrument panel. Higher-trim versions have a 3D display, which can be configured to prioritize alerts or navigation, for example. The main instrument cluster is a 10-inch horizontal panel, and a 10-inch horizontal central screen is standard.
Connectivity upgrades include the ability to connect two smartphones via Bluetooth at one time, and mirroring is now wireless.
An electrifying segment
Entrants in the volume compact segment, the third-largest in Europe after small cars and small SUVs/crossovers, are electrifying in various ways to meet increasingly stringent CO2 emissions standards. The Golf is available with two levels of plug-in hybrid power, 204 hp (e-hybrid) and 245 hp (GTE) as well as a 48-volt mild hybrid. It has 80 km electric-only range.
Other choices in the segment include the Ford Focus, with a 48-volt mild hybrid option; the Toyota Corolla is available as a full hybrid; and the Toyota Prius is available in both full-hybrid and plug-in hybrid configurations. The Renault Megane has a plug-in hybrid option.
Another key challenger is the VW ID3 full-electric hatchback, which accounted for 26,987 sales in December, making it the second-best selling model in Europe during the month behind the Golf, according to figures from JATO Dynamics. The Citroen C4 is also available with a full-electric drivetrain.
The 308 ranked sixth in the compact segment in 2020 with 89,644 sales in Europe, according to JATO Dynamics. The Golf was the overall segment leader, with 283,651 sales in 2020, a 31 percent decrease from 2019. It was trailed by the Skoda Octavia (181,039 sales), Ford Focus (172,565) and Toyota Corolla (136,911).
Segment sales overall were 1,723,367, a 22 percent decline. Compacts were narrowly overtaken by small SUVs/crossovers, which registered 1,725,984 sales in 2020, an 18 percent decline.
The Kia Niro is the leader among plug-in hybrid compacts in Europe, with 17,840 sales in 2020, a 45 percent increase from 2019, according to JATO. The Golf GTE finished second, with 15,468 sales (just 985 were sold in 2019, its first year on the market). The Hyundai Ioniq was third, with 9,605 sales. New plug-in hybrid compact entrants in 2020 include the Seat Leon, Kia Ceed and XCeed, the Octavia and Megane.
The new 308 will be built at Stellantis' factory in Mulhouse, eastern France. The automaker spent about 125 million euros to prepare for start of production as part of a larger investment in the plant, which also builds the DS 7 Crossback compact SUV and Peugeot 508 midsize hatchback and station wagon. Those models are also built on the EMP2 platform.
The 308 is expected to get a sibling model from Opel/Vauxhall when the new-generation Astra is revealed around the middle of this year.
