It’s a well-publicised fact by now that all electric cars are now hitting UK in ever-greater numbers, with many major manufacturers implementing their own electrification plans. Volkswagen is one prominent name, but Peugeot is working to close that gap.
The French brand has now brought forward its plans to go fully electric by 2030. The formation of the new Stellantis group (that includes Peugeot) means that the brand now has access to a much wider range of funding and resources, which has dramatically increased its progress in the electric vehicle market. In light of this, Peugeot now plans to stop its production of combustion engine vehicles by 2023.
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So what’s the latest on Peugeot’s electrical revolution?
The original plan
Peugeot’s electrification plans have been in the works for quite some time now. Back in 2018, Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson said that every new Peugeot model launched in Europe by 2030 would be fully-electric, but that the company would still continue to release internal-combustion based models for international buyers.
The same announcement said that Peugeot would be offering different variations with electric or hybrid drives for all 40 models of its brands by 2025, with the aim of achieving an electrification rate of 80 per cent by 2023. The plans to go fully electric by 2030 would have come five years before the European Union’s (EU) proposal to mandate only zero-emissions vehicles in 2035. So, what caused Peugeot to switch up its strategy?
A change in the wind
However a change in fortune for Peugeot means that its electrification quota is now set to reach 100% by 2023. There’s a long and complex explanation for this, but we’ll spare you the intricate detail and give you the short version.
Basically, until quite recently Peugeot was part of the PSA Group, a multinational company that also encompassed the Citroen, DS, Opel and Vauxhall brands. In its almost 50-year history it grew to become quite a formidable force in the automotive world. In 2021, the PSA Group merged with Fiat-Chrysler to form the new Stellantis group. That’s unlocked another huge pool of resources for Peugeot, allowing the brand to dramatically increase its progress.
As a result, Peugeot will no longer offer pure petrol or diesel as new cars from 2023, however the company hasn’t yet specified what level of electrification it is aiming for. For reference, 48-volt mild-hybrid is considered electrified, but can’t cover significant distances while operating purely from its battery. (That makes it it more like a combustion engine vehicle to drive anyway.)
In response to this though, Peugeot has said that the “Power of Choice” is one of the pillars of the brand’s “technological push”. It’s stated that the new generation of electrified cars it offer its customers gives them the possibility of choosing the type of energy that best suits their needs.
This is not only representative of the company’s electric and hybrid passenger cars, and all-electric commercial vehicles, but to its full range of electric vehicles, including bikes, mopeds and scooters. Of these plans, Peugeot said that “By 2040, almost 5 billion men and women will live in cities. Making the urban space sustainable is one of the main challenges of the 21st century, and the aspiration of creating sustainable cities ‘is shared among all city dwellers.’”
Interestingly, other Stellantis brands are now following suit, with many of them announcing their plans to go fully electric in the near future. DS should be fully electric by 2026, Alfa Romeo by 2027 and Opel / Vauxhall by 2028.
All told, there looks to be big changes on the horizon when it comes to electric cars! Whatever happens with the technology though, you can always be certain of a couple of constants here at RAW2K - such as our commitment to providing you with the best service, as well as a huge variety of cars, vans, motorcycles and scooters for sale. So, whether you’re just a hobbyist or a full time professional mechanic, why not take a look around and see what you can find?
