If there’s still anybody out there who thinks that small crossovers aren’t slowly but surely taking over the world, well, there’s nothing like a spike in demand during times of a global pandemic to help change someone’s mind about a developing trend.
In this particular case we’re dealing with a high demand for Peugeot’s second-gen 2008 crossover, built at PSA’s factory in Vigo, Spain. It features both internal combustion as well as fully electric variants.
Given this recent development, PSA has had to add a fourth shift to the plant’s assembly line, meaning that the two lines will both be working four shifts for the very first time, reports Autonews Europe.
Watch: 2020 Peugeot e-2008 – A More Practical Hatchback With Electric Power
No fewer than 600 additional employees have been brought on to staff the shift, bringing the factory’s total to 7,500 workers. The Vigo plant opened its gates in 1958 and currently has a capacity of roughly 420,000 vehicles per year.
The new shift will increase weekend production to 2,400 cars, half of which will be Peugeot 2008 crossovers. This tiny and quite trendy model has already proven to be a strong seller, as 19,773 units departed showrooms in the month of July, trailing the best-selling Peugeot 208 by only a few hundred units. The latter happens to be the PSA Group’s best selling car.
Based on PSA’s CMP platform (launched in late 2019), the second-gen 2008 is available with a selection of gasoline, diesel and electric powertrains. The fully electric e-2008 is powered by a 50 kWh battery pack and a 136 HP electric motor.
