The ‘official launch’ of Peugeot in Pakistan was held on March 12 at a ceremony hosted by Lucky Motor Corporation Limited (LMCL). The French automaker has joined the Pakistani market in a joint venture with LMCL, a subsidiary of the Yunus Brothers Group, a major Pakistani conglomerate (YBG).

The company debuted Peugeot 2008 in Pakistan on January 28, 2022. 2008 is a modern subcompact crossover SUV packed with style and modern features. With a huge price tag, LMCL has positioned 2008 as a premium product targeted toward a selective niche.

During the ceremony, LMCL also revealed its plans to use the Peugeot brand as a conduit to enter the Electric Vehicle (EV) market saying:

The e-2008 will be the next model launched, giving customers the freedom to choose between a 100% electric and a thermic version, thanks to the Multi Energy platform CMP.

It further highlighted that the partnership will enable the development of a dedicated assembly plant for more Peugeot models in the future.

About e-2008

Peugeot e-2008 is an all-electric subcompact crossover SUV that will compete with MG ZS EV in Pakistan upon arrival. The e-2008 features a single electric motor that — mated with a 50 kWh battery pack — produces 136 horsepower (hp) and 260 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque.

The EV can charge from 0 percent to 80 percent via a 100 kW supercharger within 30 minutes. It has an electric range of up to 350 kilometers, which can change depending on the road, traffic, and climatic conditions.

It has the same features as the finest Peugeot 2008 variants, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, 360° camera, etc.

The company has not specified if it will locally assemble e-2008 or sell it as a Completely Built-Up (CBU) vehicle like MG ZS EV. This will decide e-2008’s pricing, which will be a key factor in determining its demand in Pakistan.

The only other all-electric ‘economy vehicle’ in Pakistan is the MG ZS, which is unpopular due to its extravagant price and limited utility. Peugeot 2008 is already quite expensive as a petrol-powered vehicle, and will likely be even more expensive as an EV. Therefore, e-2008 will likely meet the same fate as its rival in Pakistan.