It's been a while since we last saw the new E-5008 testing, but that doesn't mean Peugeot is done with the fine-tuning phase. Quite the opposite, as the electric crossover continues to do its thing in different environments, and it couldn't avoid our spy photographer's camera lens at the beginning of December.
That is when it was scooped, putting its electric powertrain and other components to use in sub-freezing temperatures in snowy Sweden. Still, due to the low-light conditions when it drove in front of the camera and the trippy camouflage, it's tricky to make out some of its styling tweaks.
Nonetheless, we can see that it stays true to its predecessor by featuring an evolution of the boxy design. Peugeot obviously didn't want to mess around with this winning recipe, as the current 5008 is one good-looking crossover. The new one has a pair of slim headlights that don't appear to feature any LED tech on the pictured tester, a sizeable air intake in the new front bumper, and a closed-off grille.
The tailgate does not seem to be that tall, but it is significantly wider. This means that its future owners will be able to load larger items in the presumably bigger cargo area. We cannot make out the shape of the taillights, but they're LEDs, as far as we can tell. Moreover, the rear license plate holder does not sit on the tailgate anymore, as it was moved to the new bumper.
Photo: SH Proshots
The lower section of this component features what seem to be reversing lights, and probably the fog lamps, where the tailpipes would normally be found on a car fed by fossil fuels. But this is the new Peugeot E-5008, and the "E" in its name stands for electric. Likely based on the SLTA Medium platform, the same one used by the new 3008, it could have a range similar to the E-3008, which can travel up to 435 miles or 700 kilometers on a single charge.
But the E-5008 won't be the only member of the family, as it is also expected to launch without the prefix and feature internal combustion units. Some of them, or perhaps all, will be electrified, and a plug-in hybrid assembly is believed to offer the best of both worlds, namely plug-in capabilities, a decent electric range, and a small gasoline engine. Think of it as the powertrain to bridge the gap between the ICE and EV models.
It will probably share other parts with the latest 3008, including the interior layout, buttons, knobs, and so on, and we will find out if that's the case when it debuts, perhaps sometime in 2024, taking on the likes of the Tesla Model Y in electric guise and other mid-size crossovers with ICE power.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News