Peugeot plans electric ‘ludospace’ e-Rifter

Peugeot will launch an electric version of the Rifter in the autumn of 2021. Its propulsion relies on the electric drive and battery technology used in all other PSA electric models.

The Rifter is what the French market calls a “ludospace”. It is basically a compact van, but by adding a rear seat, the van can also be used as a budget-friendly family car that offers a huge boot.

5 or 7 passengers, 280 km range

Peugeot also claims that the trunk and interior space is not restricted by the battery mounted centrally under the car. The standard 5-seater version offers up to 1,050 liters of boot space, and the extended (wheelbase) version even has 7 seats.

The engine is the well-known 100 kW (136 hp) PSA electric motor, which in the case of the e-Rifter (and also in the e-Partner from which it is derived) achieves a towing capacity of 750 kg. Peugeot installs a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 50 kWh, allowing autonomy of up to 280 km on a single charge. The larger 75 kWh battery (from larger vans) is not offered.

To optimize the driving range, three driving modes are provided in which the engine power is adjusted: Eco (60kW), Normal (80 kW), and Power (100 kW). The press kit also mentions a high-powered heating element to warm up the interior quickly and pleasantly.

Unfortunately, electrical resistance heating eats up power. This technology is outdated, as most EVs today use their air conditioning system as a heat pump to warm up the interior, which is much more energy-efficient.

Three-phase charging

The car comes with a built-in 11 kW charger as standard, which means it can also be charged by a three-phase AC charging unit. This is especially interesting for charging the vehicle at home via a wall box in less than 6 hours. There is also a fast charger (DC) connection that can charge the battery up to 80% in 30 minutes.