As automakers invest more in electric technology, they’re finding simple ways to make big improvements in range ratings. Peugeot is the latest that managed to extract more miles out of its core EV models with some simple, clever modifications. The French brand today announced that the all-electric 2022 e-208 hatchback will gain 22 km of range and the e-2008 crossover will get an extra 25 km of range over the 2021 models.
That amounts to an improvement of around
seven percent for the e-208, whose range is now 362 km, and of
eight percent for the e-2008, which can now go 345 km on a charge,
per the WLTP test cycle. To achieve that improvement, Peugeot first of all has
put the vehicles on even more efficient tires. Both will now be changed to “A+”
class tires, which have lower rolling resistance. These will be offered on the
e-208’s 16-inch wheels, and the e-2008’s 17-inch wheels.
Inside, meanwhile, a new heat pump coupled
with a humidity sensor installed at the top of the windshield will optimize the
energy efficiency of the air conditioning and heating systems, in order to
squeeze a few extra miles out of the car.
Finally, a new gearbox ratio optimizes the
range on highway journeys. Peugeot claims, though, that the improvements go
beyond what the WLTP measures. It claims that these revisions lead to
improvements of up to 40 km in urban traffic at temperatures of 0°C (32°F). Both
based on the eCMP platform, Peugeot’s electric models make use of a relatively
small 50 kWh battery paired to an electric motor that delivers 134 hp and 260 Nm of torque.
