Peugeot continues electric vehicle push with new e-Rifter

Peugeot’s latest electric vehicle has arrived – the e-Rifter.

Set to arrive in dealerships this autumn, the electric van-based MPV brings a 171-mile range and the option of either five or seven seats.

Power comes from a 100kW electric motor linked to a 50kWh battery, enabling the Rifter to reach 60mph from a dead stop in 11 seconds. With a 7.4kW single phase charger fitted as standard – upgradeable to a more powerful 11kW three-phase unit via an optional extra – a full charge via a 7.4kW home charger can be achieved in 7.5 hours. This drops to five hours when using the optional three-phase charger.

Thanks to rapid charging, a zero to 80 per cent charged can be achieved in as little as 30 minutes via a 100kW public charger.

Inside, the e-Rifter boasts a fully digitised cabin with an eight-inch central touchscreen giving access to key media functions. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included too.

A wide range of assistance systems are fitted to the e-Rifter, with features such as a lane departure warning system and automatic collision alert elevating the van’s safety levels.

But practicality hasn’t been forgotten about, either. The e-Rifter can be specified in either Standard or Long lengths – measuring 4.40m for the former and 4.75m for the latter. Either variant is available with the option of five- or seven-seats, with Peugeot’s ‘Magic Flat’ feature allowing each seat to be slid up or down the cabin, folded or removed entirely to provide one large load area.

The battery is located under the floor, too, which means it doesn’t impede spaciousness. In total, boot space ranges from 775 litres for the five-seat Standard length variant up to 4,000 litres in the Long version with the seats folded flat. A variety of additional storage areas add up to an extra 186 litres of storage space.