New electric cars from Peugeot, Citroën, Jeep and Opel are late: here’s the reason

If you placed an order for an electric model from the Stellantis Group equipped with the new 156 horsepower motor and the new 400 km battery, you should not receive your car before the end of the year. In question, a too low production capacity within the Tremery factory, responsible for manufacturing this new electrical block. But the reason could actually be different…

For more than two years, ordering an electric car can be a real hassle. And for good reason, manufacturers are bearing the brunt of the shortage of semiconductors, which greatly complicates production. The components are missing and the brands must necessarily reduce the rate, while the demand is increasingly strong. Not to mention the war in Ukraine, which also gave brands a new blow.

Ignition delay

Manufacturers have adapted to such an extent that some decide to review their catalog and delete equipment, like the heat pump in the Audi Q4 e-tron. On the side of Stellantis, on the other hand, so far it seemed to be going well. But the Franco-Italian group is now encountering another problem, which has a direct impact on delivery times to customers.

Anyone who has placed an order for an electric car equipped with the brand new 156 horsepower engine will have to be patient. As the journalists of theArgus, Peugeot postponed the production of its e-208 equipped with this engine in October. And this while the first deliveries were initially to begin last March.

But what is the reason for this delay? The firm justifies this by stating that the increase in demand for this engine, which now equips almost all of the group’s electric range, does not allow its factory to follow. The Tremery site would be overwhelmed and the pace is no longer sufficient to keep up. And this of course concerns the electric city car, but not only. Indeed, all cars equipped with this engine are concerned.

This is also the case with the DS 3 E-Tense, which we tested earlier in the year, but also with the Jeep Avenger and the Opel Mokka Electric. This engine also equips the restyled Peugeot e-2008, the test of which can also be read in our columns as well as under the hood of the Opel Corsa-e and other Citroën ë-C4 facelift.

Another reason

This increase in demand and this new hellish and almost impossible to keep pace forced Peugeot to return the small 136 horsepower engine to the catalog. The latter makes it possible to satisfy the demand of customers who therefore absolutely want an electric 208 and who do not necessarily need more power. The concern is that this block is associated with a smaller battery, 50 kWh, which restricts autonomy to 360 kilometers.

That of 54 kWh allows the group’s cars to reach 400 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. But journalists give another reason for the postponed launch. The latter explain that the lion manufacturer wants above all to favor the restyled e-208, which will begin production in October. The firm will also equip the e-308 with this more efficient engine.

Does this mean that he will not be not possible to buy the current e-208 in 156 horsepower and with the new 400 km battery ? Probably. Customers who have already placed an order have the choice between canceling their purchase or opting for a 136 horsepower version and 50 kWh battery, while the firm offers a credit of 500 euros. Or they will have to sign an order form for the restyled variant unveiled a few days earlier. And for those who have purchased another model from the group?

For now, nothing has been announced yet, but in any case, you will have to expect a certain delay, the time that the orders are all honored. Perhaps postponing production of the 156 horsepower Peugeot e-208 will help reduce demand, and therefore return to a somewhat more acceptable production rate for this engine.

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