Peugeot E-T16: 816 hp and 0–100 km/h in 2.5 s, the most powerful Peugeot ever

Peugeot has brought the most powerful car in the brand's history to the Paris Motor Show. The E-T16 concept has three electric motors with a combined 816 hp and reaches 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds. It is an electric tribute to the Peugeot 205 T16 rally car and, at the same time, a preview of the styling of the new E-208. The brand unveiled it just before the show opened to the public, together with a second concept, the RCZ Vision.

Supercar numbers

One motor drives the front axle and the other two work at the rear, so the E-T16 has four-wheel drive. Together they produce 816 hp. The British magazine evo quotes 805 bhp, but that is the same output expressed in imperial units. The concept goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and to 300 km/h in 16 seconds. Both Peugeot and Autokult call the E-T16 the most powerful Peugeot ever.

800 V and a quarter of an hour at the charger

The 85 kWh battery uses an 800 V architecture. A higher voltage means less current flows through the cables for the same charging power, which reduces heat and lets the car sustain high power for longer. The result: charging from 10 to 80% should take under 15 minutes. WLTP range is 400 km, a reasonable figure for a car built first and foremost for performance.

A tribute to the 205 T16

The name and the shape are no accident. The E-T16 marks 40 years since the Peugeot 205 T16's World Rally Championship titles in 1985–86. That car was a rally version of the popular 205 hatchback, built to the famous Group B rules, with a mid-mounted turbocharged engine and four-wheel drive. The new concept carries that idea into the electric era.

A preview of the new E-208

"E-T16 concept reinterprets the lines of the future Peugeot E-208, pushing every proportion to the extreme," says Peugeot design director Matthias Hossann. According to Auto Express, the brand has no plans to build the E-T16 itself. Carwow reports that the new E-208 will debut in 2027, with a sporty GTI version a year later. For now, only Carwow gives these dates.

RCZ Vision: 500 hp and a solid-state battery

Peugeot's second concept in Paris, the RCZ Vision, takes its name from the old RCZ coupé. It has 500 hp and a solid-state battery developed with Factorial Energy. In such cells a solid electrolyte replaces the liquid one, which should allow higher energy density and faster charging. According to Interia, the RCZ Vision can cover up to 600 km, uses 11.5 kWh/100 km and charges from 10 to 80% in about 10 minutes at 1,000 V. It is built on the STLA One platform. Stellantis, which owns Peugeot, announced more than 60 cars for the show, including 9 concepts, on 5,340 m². The photo of the E-T16 in this article was taken at the Paris show.