Peugeot gets it: CEO Jackson wants to address consumer needs with BEV lineup

At the E-Lion Day press conference on Jan. 27, 2023, Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson indicated the brand’s interest in making its cars more accessible in the age of electrification. 

This direction, she said, would be accomplished through the company’s new E-Lion Project. The company's holistic approach will focus on the ecosystem, experience, electric, efficiency and environment as the brand moves towards attaining its carbon net zero goals by 2038. 

With its latest future-looking strategy, Jackson has indicated that the Peugeot brand is spending so much time seeking out and listening to consumer sentiment.

“I think being presumptuous is a huge, huge risk for manufacturers as we move into this era,” shared Jackson.

“We can hear the messages loud and clear, and I can assure you Peugeot is listening,” she added after watching the pre-recorded man on the street comments about electric vehicles.

Fully electric lineup by 2025

At the press briefing, Jackson mentioned that Peugeot would see 100 percent of its model range electrified by this year.

The electrification move includes the introduction of 48-volt mild-hybrid variants, which should show about a 15-percent improvement in fuel consumption and 50 percent fewer emissions in the city.

And by 2025, each Peugeot model will have a Battery Electric Vehicle (EV) variant in Europe. 

Peugeot also claims that by 2030, all vehicles that it sells in Europe will be 100 percent electric.

The STLA BEV platforms will underpin Peugeot’s next-generation lineup. The company claims STLA will offer new proportions, space and perspectives as it designs its cars around them.

Peugeot will also launch five new EVs in two years. These include the e-308 station wagon featuring a 115-kW motor and 400+ kilometers of WLTP range.

The e-3008 SUV will follow with a 700-km range and will be built upon the STLA medium platform. There will also be three drivetrain options.

Targeting innovation

Aside from the new EV models in the pipeline, Peugeot is also embarking on innovations that will make their cars and the business more sustainable as it goes after its carbon net zero by 2038 target. These include:

1. STLA Brain – Cloud-based, over-the-air (OTA), customer-oriented services. It can add specific functionalities and vehicle features to the vehicle without the need for hardware upgrades.

2. STLA Smart Cockpit – New AI interactive features that transform the vehicle into a personalized living space. It will focus on voice, touch, glance and gesture inputs to make the car perform functions or tasks. The development will be in collaboration with Foxconn and Amazon.

3. STLA Auto Drive – Developed in partnership with BMW, Peugeot vehicles will soon have Level 2, Level 2+ and Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities. Vehicle software upgrades will be done via OTA. Level 4 autonomous driving is being developed in partnership with Waymo.

Sustainability is also a goal for Peugeot as it employs more conscientious measures in car design and production.

Peugeot says it has identified glass and lights as the “new black” in cars. Thus, it will remove chrome from all its designs.

Weight reduction is also a priority for its next-generation designs, which is why car seats will be made lighter and alloy wheels will be recycled.

A new paradigm

Peugeot is also now rethinking the global lifecycle of its next generation of vehicles.

It intends to design its BEVs to have a lifespan of 20 to 25 years. It will also employ refurbishing, reusing and recycling measures for specific components.

And it will update trims and features based on the personal needs of its customers through OTA.

Peugeot claims to be in touch with its customers as they undergo the evolutionary process toward electric vehicles.

Will it be able to translate these insights into actual improvements and practical thoughtfulness for its future range of products? We shall soon see. 

Do you think Peugeot is on the right track toward the future of mobility?