Whether at Peugeot, Citroën, Opel or even Jeep, the delivery of electric cars is falling behind. The cause ? Enormous difficulties for the Trémery factory to manufacture the new 156 hp electric motor unit, used on many models of the Stellantis group.
What does the future restyled Peugeot e-208, the Citroën DS3 E-Tense, the Jeep Avenger, the Opel Mokka-e or the recent redesigned Peugeot e-2008 share? These electric cars of the Stellantis group are all equipped with the same block 156 horsepower electric motor.
We mentioned it in our columns in November 2022, this new 156 hp/51 kWh engine will allow the Peugeot e-208 (2023) to reach 400 km of autonomy. Originally expected for March 2023, the Lion brand was forced to postpone the start of production of its electric city car to November 2023.
One engine for too many different models
Why that ? The enormous difficulties encountered on the production lines of the Tremery plant (Moselle) to supply the various Stellantis builders with this new block. Because, this motor now equips almost the entire electric range of the Stellantis group. If pooling is good (reduction of manufacturing costs and lead times), it clearly shows its limits in such a situation.
To relieve a minimum of the pressure on the shoulders of Trémery employees, Peugeot has therefore taken the decision to postpone the entry into production of the e-208 revisited. But that’s not all. Since March 2023, the Lion brand has also decided to put the e-208 GT version back in the catalog with the previous 136 horsepower engine.
The old engine makes a comeback to relieve the pressure
This emergency measure allows Peugeot to satisfy customers who wish to obtain an e-208 as soon as possible, even if it means sacrificing a little autonomy. Indeed, this block is equipped with a smaller battery (50 kWh), which limits the autonomy to 360 km.
But what about the customers who have already checked out to get this revamped version of the electric city car? For them, there are two solutions:
- cancel the order
- opt for an older generation e-208 with 136 hp (with 11 kW charging option at 400 €)
If the second option seems tempting for the most impatient, note that the bill amounts to €40,400 (before the deduction of state aid). Either the same price as the future e-208… the manufacturer offers a credit of 500 €. Be that as it may, the postponement of the entry into production of the e-208 should make it possible to reduce the pressure on the Trémery lines, but we should not expect miracles either. With so many models equipped with this same engine, delivery delays will persist.
Source: The Argus