Peugeot is changing the names of some of its popular plug-in-hybrid models, in the wake of new EU regulations.
The EU is regulating what you can call a car now?
Not quite. You can keep your claims of "straight bananas!” at bay for now. What's happening is that the new Euro 7 emissions regulations are coming into force on November 30 this year.
Why would that change a car's name?
For the most part, it won't. But there is particular part of the regulations which says that if you're quoting the power output of a plug-in hybrid, then that quoted figure has to be the combined output of both the petrol (or diesel - there still are a few diesel PHEVs you know...) engine and any electric motors.
OK, so how does this affect Peugeot?
Peugeot quotes the power outputs of its PHEV models in their names, and so those now have to be updated. Well, they don't really have to be changed until the end of November, but like a diligent pupil, Peugeot is getting some homework done early.
So, what's changing?
The Peugeot 3008 Plug-in Hybrid is getting a new badge as a result of all this, and it's the Peugeot 3008 Plug-In Hybrid 225 Auto. There's an identical badge change for the Peugeot 5008 PHEV.
There's a change, too, for the 408, which in PHEV form will now be known as the Peugeot 408 Plug-in Hybrid 240 Auto. There's a plug-in-hybrid option for the updated 308 hatchback too, but that was already updated to '308 Plug-in Hybrid 195' with the latest round of upgrades for that model.
Are there any actual mechanical changes?
No, according to Peugeot, these cars "do not undergo any technical modification, meaning their performance, fuel consumption and emissions remain unchanged.”