The upcoming Peugeot 208 isn’t just an update. It is a radical pivot toward becoming Europe’s most connected supermini. Stellantis, the parent company, has confirmed the details. They call it ‘STLA One’.
“Four of these [seven new models] will be based on the new ST LA One platform. The first comes next… in the shape of the new E 208.” – Alain Favey, Peugeot CEO
Four out of the seven new Peugeots launching by 2030 use this platform. The E 208 leads the charge. It arrives next year. Expect a shift in the European market.
No steering column. Really?
The tech starts with the steering wheel. Or rather what it isn’t attached to.
The radical Polygon concept showed off the Hypersquare wheel. It uses steer by wire technology. No mechanical link connects your hands to the wheels. Infinite assistance variables depending on the driving situation. It sounds complex. It requires serious computing power.
That is where ‘STLA Brain’ comes in.
Ned Curic, Stellantis’ chief technology officer, describes it as the car’s new central nervous system. Current cars have a dozen or so separate control units for powertrain chassis infotainment. A mess of disparate systems. ST LA Brain wraps them into one connected high performance computing platform. Processing power goes up six times. Bandwidth multiplies by one thousand.
This unlocks instant responses. And over the air updates that actually mean something.
The AI powered system understands surroundings in real time. It helps steer by wire decide how much help you need. Tight car park manoeuvring? Handled. Motorway tracking? Effortless.
The E 208 won’t just be a car. It will be Stellantis’ first true software defined vehicle.
Designing with the eighties in mind
Production starts in 2027. A near production concept appears at the Paris Motor Show this October. Price point sits around £26000.
That puts it squarely against the Renault 5 Cupra Raval and the Volkswagen ID Polo.
So what does it look like?
Clean surfacing. Sharp edges. But also nostalgia. Specifically early eighties nostalgia from the original 205. The front and rear lights mirror that car’s striped grille and hatch. But modern. Contemporary execution.
“Our designers like to mix modernity… and some positive elements of our past… We wish to use the elements of the past… to create the future.”
Favey points out the horizontal three line light signature. You will see it on all future Peugeots. Prominent red lines at the back too. It’s a design cue for the brand moving forward.
Space matters in cities. Urban areas are congested. The Polygon concept has a shrunk nose. Windscreen pushed forward. Long wheelbase. Eliminating the steering column frees up dashboard real estate. It allows a compact exterior with a spacious interior.
Favey confirmed they are minimizing weight gain to protect EV range. The goal is a lighter car that still feels substantial.
Batteries and volts
The architecture does more than rearrange interior space. It changes the floor.
ST LA One uses cell to body technology. The battery pack isn’t just cargo. It’s part of the structural component of the car floor. Davide Mele Stellantis’ product planning chief says this cuts cost weight and complexity.
It will likely be 800 volt capable. Fast charging. Competitive times with filling up a petrol car. Stellantis wants a better real world EV experience.
“This [STLA One] will be 80 volt capable… delivering a better real world BEV experience.”
Recyclability is on the table too. Ned Curic sponsored the Polygon concept specifically to push engineers on lighter materials and recyclable components. Some of those solutions make it into the next 20.
The cockpit wars
Inside it gets smarter. ST LA Smart Cockpit replaces twelve separate systems. One unified platform works across all brands and regions. But Peugeot gets to customize it first.
Distinct graphics. Ambience. Voice controls. It all ties back to the i Cockpit setup Peugeots are known for. But the Hypersquare yoke changes the physical feel. Obllong shaped. Unfamiliar? Probably.
Curic believes this AI led brand experience differentiates them. He sees it as a way to fend off Chinese EV challengers who are packing cars full of gadgets. Peugeot wants charisma driving sensation service quality to be their shield.
Electric only (for now)
The ST LA One was planned for electric cars. But investor day confirmations revealed hybrid compatibility. The platform is optimized so you do not carry the penalty of a multi energy architecture. Cost. Weight. Those are the penalties. The current 300 uses ST LA Medium. That platform is heavy built to handle Jeep style off road usage. The small 208 needs agility.
So the first wave is Battery Electric. Favey confirms the new model sits alongside the current petrol 20. Hybrid likely arrives later. But for how long?
The current hatchback will look positively archaic next to this thing. Vauxhall has the same issue with the next Corsa which shares underpinnings with the Peugeot.
There is also the GT. An electric GT is coming. This year. It serves as a crowning glory for the seven year old current model. Then the new 2 comes in 202. Different clientele. Favey says that’s fine.
Power output spans 30bhp to 42bhp for the E 20 lineup. Matches VW and Cupra ranges. The new GT might hit higher marks though. Stellantis developing new motors range from 1bhp up to 0bhp.
The Spanish strategy
Manufacturing follows economics. The small VWs are built in Spain to exploit lower costs. Stellantis does the same. The Zaragoza plant handles the current Corsa and E 2. It will make the next generation too. Vigo factory handles other small cars.
Battery capacity expands. The 02’s max is currently 15. The new architecture handles up to 82. Range potential jumps to about 0 miles. Or smaller packs around 0.4kWh for pure city cars.
400 volt electrical architecture improves DC charging over current models which take half an hour from 0 to 0. But the new system scales with size.
What happens if you cannot wait for 2? You save £11 on current stock. £ on a petrol version. Or you wait. Watch the tech evolve.
The steering wheel changes everything. Does that make it a car?
