2023 Peugeot e-Partner electric van approved for Australia

Peugeot Australia’s mystery upcoming electric van – due next year, as its first electric vehicle – looks to be the small e-Partner, offering up to 275km of claimed driving range.

Peugeot’s first electric vehicle in Australia will be the city-focused 2023 Peugeot e-Partner small van – if new government documents are a guide.

Peugeot Australia has previously confirmed its first electric model locally would be a light commercial vehicle, due in showrooms in 2023 – however it was unclear which of the brand’s three electric vans it would be.

Government approval documents show the smallest of the trio, the e-Partner, has been given the green light for sale locally, in a choice of two wheelbase and body lengths.

Despite the presence of the government documents, Peugeot Australia would not confirm the e-Partner as its electric ‘light commercial vehicle’ (a van) due next year, when contacted by Drive.

“Peugeot will introduce (its) first full electric vehicles in 2023. Peugeot’s electric plans in Australia are currently being finalised across passenger, SUV and [light commercial vehicle] offerings. The first battery electric vehicle to launch in Australia will be an [light commercial vehicle], with more information to be announced,” a Peugeot Australia spokesperson said in a media statement.

The e-Partner will be powered by a 50kWh battery pack derived from Peugeot’s electric small cars and SUVs in Europe, driving an 100kW electric motor on the front axle.

Overseas, Peugeot claims 275km of claimed driving range on European test protocols – slightly less than the e-Partner’s closest rival, the new Renault Kangoo E-Tech Electric, due early next year with 300km of claimed driving range.

Australian prices are yet to be confirmed, however in the UK the e-Partner commands a price premium of 35 to 40 per cent more than equivalent diesel-engined versions.

In Australia – where today’s Partner models are petrol-powered – this could translate to a mid-trim e-Partner Pro short-wheelbase being priced from about $48,000 plus on-road costs, rising to $55,000 plus on-road costs for a top-of-the-range e-Partner Premium long-wheelbase.

Dimensionally, the e-Partner variants are unchanged from their petrol counterparts, with 2785mm and 2975mm wheelbases in Short and Long forms respectively.

Data listed on the Australian government database suggests payload may increase for the short-wheelbase e-Partner, but decrease for the long-wheelbase model, compared to petrol variants. Final figures are yet to be confirmed.

It’s unclear for now if the e-Partner will be offered in one, two or all three model grades offered for the petrol version.

Peugeot has confirmed its first electric vehicle – and therefore likely the 2023 Peugeot e-Partner – is due in Australian showrooms sometime next year.

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