Major vehicle brand admits struggles with EVs - 'How do you give this pleasure of driving to electric cars?'

In 2023, Peugeot registered almost 1.25 million vehicles across the UK - a six per cent increase compared to the previous year. An impressive 18 per cent of Peugeot vehicles registered in the European Union were electrified (fully electric or hybrid).

Peugeot has a number of electric vehicles on the market including the E-208 city car, E-3008 compact SUV and even electric vans with the e-Rifter and e-TRAVELLER.

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Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) found that Peugeot remained the most popular electric light commercial vehicle manufacturer (e-LCV) in 2024, with year-on-year growth of 11 per cent.

Between January and the start of June, Peugeot announced that it had already sold 40,081 e-LCVs, with the brand hinting at a very successful year.

Jackson told the PA news agency: "If we want to retain the DNA of Peugeot, we have to find a way to give driving pleasure.

"Everybody remembers the 205 GTi and why was it so popular? Because it was fun to drive and that’s what we need to hold onto.

"A Peugeot is all about the pleasure of driving – this is so, very, very important. But then there’s the question that we are reflecting on and that is how do you give this pleasure of driving to electric cars?

"To be honest with you I haven’t got the answer yet, but we are thinking about it.”

Different political parties are debating whether to change the date of the deadline to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars to help advance the sale of new electric vehicles.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have promised to return to the original 2030 deadline, the Conservatives will keep it at 2030, the Green Party have announced plans to ban new polluting cars from 2027, while Reform UK said it would scrap it altogether.

Experts have backed plans to increase the amount of help available for electric vehicles, with some even backing the reintroduction of the Plug-in Car Grant to help Britons switch.

While Peugeot does not have a dedicated grant to help people switch to an electric vehicle, its website does instruct motorists as to how they can access further funding from the Government, as well as special savings on certain electric vehicles through PCP sales.

The French brand will look to reinvigorate its performance status with the E-5008, a seven-seat electric SUV with a staggering 410 miles of range and rapid charging times of 20-80 per cent in just 30 minutes.

While there will be plug-in hybrid versions of the vehicle available in the future, it is clear that Peugeot will be moving forward with its intention to develop sustainable EVs.

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Jackson concluded, saying: "We’ve got PSE (Peugeot Sport Engineered) currently, but that’s about performance and driving pleasure – we need to find a way that combines driving pleasure with electric."