New electrified Peugeot 408 headed for Australia

June 23, 2022June 23, 2022 EV Central team 4272 Views Peugeot

Peugeot has confirmed its new Tesla Model 3-sized 408 coupe-crossover is headed to Australia and electrification appears certain to be a part of the local model lineup.

Featuring a five-door body on moderately raised ride height that sits the 408 between traditional passenger cars and SUVs, the 408 will come with an orthodox petrol ICE, two rechargeable plug-in hybrid (PHEV) choices and in pure electric form as well.

How many of these drivetrains come to Australia when the 408 launches here in 2023 is yet to be confirmed.

“It is with great excitement I can confirm that the new Peugeot 408 will launch in Australia,” said Kate Gillis, Managing Director Peugeot Australia. “We are currently working closely with the factory on launch timings for our market and look forward to sharing more information in due course.”

2023 Peugeot 408 is a crossover coupe with an SUV look.

The French auto giant has already started dabbling in electrification in Australia with the 508 GT Fastback PHEV and the 3008 SUV PHEV. But the company says they are only the start of a much stronger EV push.

The new 408 shares no relation with the car of the same name that has been on-sale in China through two generations since 2010. That vehicle is based on the 308 small car.

Both plug-in hybrids employ a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and a front-mounted e-motor making a combined 133kW or 165kW depending on the model. Maximum cumulative torque in both versions is set at 360Nm.

The e-motor is fed by a 12.4kWh battery that can take as much as 7h 05min or as little as 1hr 40min to recharge depending on the AC charger.

No range or fuel economy numbers have yet been claimed for the 408 PHEVs.

All 408 variants unveiled so far drive their front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The new Peugeot 408 will launch in Australia.

No detail has been issued about the full electric version at the moment, but it is likely to share the same Stellantis group fundamentals as other models being produced in coming years by its many brands, which include Jeep, Chrysler, Opel, Dodge, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Citroen and Fiat.

The 408 measures up at 4687mm long (7mm shorter than a Tesla Model 3), 1859mm wide, 1478mm high and has a 2787mm wheelbase. The ground clearance is an SUV-1sh 189mm.

The higher-powered 408 225 PHEV weighs in at 1706kg and both it and the 408 180 hybrid have a boot volume under their hatchbacks that varies from 471 litres to 1545 litres.

The 408 includes the latest generation of Peugeot’s controversial i-Cockpit with its small steering wheel that is placed low in front of the driver with the instrument cluster positioned above it

The 2023 Peugeot 408 includes i-Cockpit.

Styling details of the 408 includes its new Lion’s head Peugeot emblem, fang-shaped light signature, three-claw LED lights at the rear and an inverted cut-out of the rear bumper. It rolls on 17-, 19- or 20-inch wheels with a geometric design.

Armed with six cameras and nine radars, the 408’s driver assistance systems include adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, night vision that warns of animals, pedestrians or cyclists ahead before they appear in the high beam, long-range (75m) blind spot monitoring and rear traffic alert, which warns of a potential hazard when reversing.

The new 408 goes on-sale in Europe at the very start of 2023. It will be built at Mulhouse in France and later in Chengdu, China.