An In-Depth Look at the Peugeot IOn

The iOn is an all-electric, zero-emission vehicle manufactured by Peugeot. Along with the Nissan Leaf, it is one of the world’s best-selling electric cars. With a good range and impressive top speed, the iOn is more than capable of matching up to traditional petrol and diesel cars when it comes to city driving. However, some prospective owners may be nervous about making the switch to all-electric. Anxieties about range and driveability are common when it comes to electric vehicles. To try to put some of these anxieties to rest, I’ve produced this guide that looks at the features of the Peugeot iOn in detail. Once drivers see what Peugeot’s electric car can do, it’s more likely that they’ll shed their fears and get behind the wheel.
The Basics
The iOn is a compact hatchback, but its size is more than adequate enough for city commutes. With four seats, there’s plenty of space to lift share too. It boasts automatic transmission and front wheel drive.
Engine and Performance
The batteries and motors used in electric cars have seen many improvements in recent years. These improvements have been incorporated into the iOn, so you can expect to reach a top speed of around 80 miles per hour. Acceleration is impressive too – the car can go from nought to 62 miles per hour in around 15.9 seconds.
Fuel Costs, Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions
Being a plug-in electric vehicle, you can’t really compare the iOn to petrol cars in terms of petrol prices. It costs as much as it costs to charge from your home electricity – or from a public charging point. It goes without saying that this will cost considerably less than petrol or diesel, however.
Again, in terms of fuel consumption you can’t really compare to the traditional vehicles. According to Peugeot, the car can be driven for up to 80 miles between charges. Bear in mind, as well, that plugging it in for just 30 minutes will yield an 80% charge.
In terms of emissions, the iOn performs incredibly well. In fact, it emits no CO2 during operation at all.
Security and Safety
The iOn boasts an anti-lock breaking system, an electronic stability system, and plenty of other safety features such as driver and passenger airbags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners and central locking. All in all, Peugeot’s car easily meets modern safety expectations.
Comfort
In defiance of the perception of electric cars as being somehow less ‘driver friendly’ than traditional cars, Peugeot’s electric city car features many touches that make it a joy to drive. For example, it has an air conditioning system, electric windows and power steeling – so it makes light work of those tight city turns.
As we have seen, the iOn is a great choice for any city motorist, as it is able to match up to many of the standards set by petrol vehicles, whilst beating them hands down in terms of environmental credentials and running costs. And as public charging facilities become more and more common in major cities, we may well be seeing more electric cars in the near future.