The Peugeot 408X is not a car you can buy in America. But maybe it should be.
The French automaker unveiled its latest electric sedan at the Shanghai Motor Show this week, and it's a stunning piece of design that promises to challenge the likes of Tesla, Volkswagen, and Hyundai in the global EV market.
The Peugeot 408X is based on the eVMP platform, which stands for Electric Vehicle Modular Platform, and the regular Peugeot 408 plug-in hybrid. It's a scalable architecture that can accommodate different battery sizes and powertrains, and it's expected to underpin several future models from Peugeot and its parent company Stellantis.
The Peugeot 408X has a sleek and futuristic look, with a low roofline, a large grille with LED lighting, and a distinctive rear end with a light bar that spans the car's width. The interior is equally impressive, with a digital dashboard, a 10-inch touchscreen, and a head-up display that projects information onto the windshield.
But what about the performance? Well, Peugeot claims that the 408X can deliver up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) of range on the WLTP cycle, which is comparable to the Tesla Model 3 Long Range. The car also has a fast-charging capability that can replenish 80% of the battery in just 30 minutes.
The Peugeot 408X comes in two versions: a rear-wheel drive model with a single electric motor that produces 180 hp and an all-wheel drive model with two electric motors that deliver 360 hp. The latter can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 5.2 seconds, which is not far behind the Tesla Model 3 Performance.
The Peugeot 408X is not just a pretty face, though. It also comes with a host of advanced features and technologies, such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind spot detection, and a 360-degree camera system. The car also has a wireless smartphone charging pad, a premium sound system, and an air purification system that filters out pollutants and allergens.
