Electric Peugeot e-208 GTi makes Le Mans debut

French brand Peugeot has unveiled the new e-208 GTi, the all-electric essence of the hot hatch. It was revealed in a world preview on Friday June 13 among the crowds gathered for the 2025 Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race this past weekend.

The Stellantis owned subsidiary first launched the GTi (note the small cap “i”) nameplate in 1984 with the 205 GTi as the halo performance model of the mainstream budget hatchback range which has subsequently spawned the 206, 207 and 208 range, all with hot GTi models powered by four-cylinder petrol engines in a legacy spanning more than 40 years.

The new electric e-208 GTi breaks with tradition, and standout features begin with bright Neon red colour that has characterised the previous Peugeot GTi models. The body is lowered by 30mm and tracks widened by 56mm at the front and 27mm at the rear. It sits on 18-inch wheels hidden inside wider wheel arches. Sportier front and rear bumpers, front spoiler, a rear diffuser add to the belligerence.

Inside are bright red carpets, floor mats and seat belts and bucket style front seats with integrated headrests. There's a compact steering wheel covered in a perforated red leather combined with Alcantara and a central emblem that also turns red. The graphics of the digital instrument cluster and the central screen are red in standard configuration, with specific performance indication pages.

The cabin ambient lighting is also red by default but seven other colours are available, and the cabin features the Peugeot i-Connect infotainment system with TomTom navigation. Voice recognition, and wireless smartphone mirroring through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is available.

The first all-electric car designed by the Peugeot Sport outfit with experience of putting together the Peugeot 9X8 World Endurance Championship (WEC) car is powered by a 54kWh battery with a specific cooling system adapted to high performance feeding the M4+ electric motor that develops 206kW and 345Nm of torque.

It's rated with acceleration from 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 180km/h with an immersive sound experience sound tracking the performance. The sound can be activated or deactivated, as the driver prefers and the chassis is extensively tweaked for an ideal compromise between efficiency in sporty driving and everyday comfort.

A more powerful four piston braking system is integrated, along with an electronic stability programme (ESP) with a specific Sport mode that suspends driver assistance systems, and recommended for track usage. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s rubber is offered as standard, and the E-208 GTi also features a limited-slip differential for optimised cornering stability. 

Driving range is 350km on a full charge and the battery is replenished to 80% in about five hours using a 7.4kW home wallbox charger. The E-208 GTi can be charged from 20% to 80% in less than 30 minutes on a 100kW DC charging station, too. Furthermore, the E-208 GTi offers the vehicle-to-load (V2L) function which allows an electrical device such as an electric bike to be charged via the car's battery.

The MyPeugeot smartphone app also allows remote access to several features. including thermal preconditioning of the cabin, battery charging and navigation programming and more.

“We are thrilled to introduce the new Peugeot E-208 GTi, a ground-breaking next chapter in an iconic GTi story. This model represents a fusion of our rich heritage with cutting-edge technology, offering unparalleled performance and driving sensations,” said Peugeot CEO Alain Favey.

Business Day.