I drove the Peugeot 408 GT Hybrid and it answers ‘to EV, or not to EV?’

MAKING sense of the Government’s back-of-fag-packet plans to get us all driving battery-powered cars is about as easy as beating the Germans to the sun loungers.

But the people who have it worst are those who need to buy a new car now, or in the next few years.

A PHEV like the 408 has a fully electric mode, which means you can glide through your local clean-air zone without the risk of a tap on the shoulder from the council

Because plug-in hybrid (PHEV) cars will have a stay of execution of five years beyond the 2030 petrol and diesel bans, to 2035

To EV, or not to EV?

Pure petrol and diesel new car sales will be outlawed from 2030, so it would make sense to switch now.

Car manufacturers are focusing efforts on EVs so, again, it’s tempting to invest in a car getting the latest and best tech.

 Then there are mushrooming numbers of Ulez and clean-air zones up and down the country. An EV would keep you exempt from them.

But – and it’s a big but – compared to petrols and diesels EVs are expensive.

Many can’t get you from London to Cornwall in one go.

And topping up the range via the UK’s pathetically sparse and often “out of service” network of charge points means that journey takes twice as long as it does in a petrol car.

So if you’re looking for a new car, or likely to be soon, my advice is to look at something like this – the Peugeot 408 GT Hybrid.

Because plug-in hybrid (PHEV) cars will have a stay of execution of five years beyond 2030, to 2035.

A PHEV like the 408 has a fully electric mode, which means you can glide through your local clean-air zone without the risk of a tap on the shoulder from the council.

 But, when you need to make that trip to Cornwall, you won’t be dependent on roadside chargers because you can let the petrol engine do the heavy lifting.

There are plenty of PHEVs on the market, but the 408 stands out thanks to its unique styling. It’s something in between an SUV and saloon – slightly raised in height but sleek and streamlined.

The result is a roomy car that looks great and doesn’t roll or wallow in fast corners. Add to that Peugeot’s trademark quick steering and a relatively responsive suspension setup, and it’s a lot of fun, especially if you go for the faster 225hp version of the two PHEVs on offer.

The cabin feels premium and modern, with a cool touchbar of short-cut buttons for the infotainment system, plus plenty of soft-to-touch materials and trimmings.

All good things come at a cost – and for the entry 408 hybrid that is £40k. Buying the petrol version will save you around nine grand but remember you’ll miss out on the benefits of that electric motor – 40 miles range, a year’s free road tax, guaranteed exemption from clean-air zones.

If you do go for the hybrid, I’ll give you one last piece of advice – get a wallbox charger installed at home.

Otherwise you’ll be reliant on public chargers to top up the battery . . . and that’s about as much fun as reading the Government’s Net Zero Strategy.

There are plenty of PHEVs on the market, but the 408 stands out thanks to its unique styling

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