2021 Peugeot e-Rifter debuts – electric seven seater, up to 275 km of range; 4,000 litres of boot space! - Latest Car News, Bike news & Reviews, Auto News

Peugeot has unveiled the new e-Rifter, which essentially is a pure electric version of the Rifter family car that debuted back in 2018. Like its regular counterpart, the e-Rifter is also based on the PSA Group’s EMP2 platform, and its flexible layout offers up to a staggering 4,000 litres of boot space.

Powering the car is a single 100 kW (134 PS, 260 Nm) electric motor that helps it do the century dash in 11.2 seconds, whereas top speed is rated at 134 km/h. The motor draws energy from a 50 kWh battery mounted below the boot floor. On a full charge, the battery provides up to 275 km of range (WLTP cycle).

The e-Rifter comes with a 7.4 kW single-phase charger as standard, which can be upgraded to the optional 11 kW three-phase wallbox charger. A full charge via the 7.4 kW outlet takes 7.5 hours, while the 11 kW version shortens it to five hours. DC charging is also possible at up to 100 kW. Here, achieving a 0% to 80% SoC (state of charge) takes just 30 minutes.

Other means of charging include regenerative braking, of which there are two modes – Moderate, or Increased. The first offers a level of deceleration that is similar to lifting the throttle in a normal internal combustion vehicle. For “Increased” mode, the decelerative force is enhanced, and this can be activated by pressing the “B” button on the gear selector.

Three drive modes are available – Eco, Normal and Power. In Eco mode, the powertrain output is capped to 60 kW for optimum range. This is increased to 80 kW in Normal mode for the daily drive, or the full 100 kW in Power mode. An electronic parking brake is standard for all, as is a sound generator that becomes audible when driving below 29 km/h for the safety of pedestrians.

Customers can choose between Allure Premium or GT models, both available as Standard (4.4 metres) or Long (4.75 metres) variants. For Allure Premium units, it gets roof rails, 16-inch aluminium wheels, opening rear window, and the automaker’s i-Cockpit with an eight-inch touchscreen display with a dedicated “Electric” menu. GT models are upgraded with 17-inch dual-tone aluminium wheels with GT-specific styling elements, individual rear seats, and a keyless entry system.

A five- or seven-seat configuration can be had, too. Because the battery is mounted under the floor, passenger room and boot space are not affected. Boot space ranges from 775 litres for the five-seat Standard, and goes all the way up to 4,000 litres with the seats folded on Long variants.

For added practicality, a “Magic Flat” feature can be had as well, allowing each seat to be slid up or down the cabin, folded, or fully removed from the vehicle. Elsewhere, there’s up to 186 litres of space found throughout the cabin, such as that in the centre console, the overhead storage compartment, the door panels and in the boot.

Safety-wise, it gets lane departure warning system, autonomous emergency braking, driver attention alert, automatic collision alert, auto high beam assist, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitor, trailer stability control system, and Peugeot’s Visiopark system that comprises rear sensors and a 180 degree-wide rear-view camera.