A new electric version of the Peugeot 208 is expected to launch next year

FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Make the most of your money by signing up to our newsletter fornow We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Peugeot is launching an electric version of the next generation 208. The compact supermini will be fitted with an electric powertrain and battery pack to enable zero-emissions driving. However, it has announced that it will not be radically redesigning the car for its launch. Speaking to AutoCar, the company’s design boss, Gilles Vidal said that the company feels like they “do not need to shout about the fact that this car is the electric version.”

It is likely to gain a smooth, flat front grille to improve aerodynamics and so in-car electric specific options but nothing too much that screams EV on the exterior. Some new electric car designs are so bold and futuristic that they stand out from the rest of the cars on the road. He added that the powertrain will just become an option that will “complement” the range of other powertrains on offer. It will be built on a modified version of the PSA Group’s Common Modular Platform, which will be the basis for a number of the parent company’s future electric cars.

The carmaker will not radically redesign the car