Peugeot Partner Facelift Spied As Cargo Electric Van With Minor Tweaks

The third-generation Peugeot Partner was officially unveiled during the 2018 Geneva Motor Show where it shared the stage with the Citroen Berlingo sister model. In fact, the two French vans are also sold in certain markets with an Opel badge under the Combo model series. The Toyota ProAce and Fiat Doblo were launched at a later date based on the same EMP2 platform, which Stellantis received as an inheritance from the PSA era. Now this family of passenger and cargo vans – known as the K9 range – is undergoing a mid-cycle refresh.

The gallery below contains photos of the Peugeot Partner, which is the cargo version of Peugeot’s van from the K9 lineup. There are also shots showing the Opel Combo Life – a passenger van sold by the German manufacturer, which we spied for the first time last month. Both models, as well as the Citroen Berlingo, Fiat Doblo, and Toyota ProAce, share an almost identical design with the only difference being the front fascia.

As you can see from the photos, the changes with the facelift won’t be major. The front fascia of both prototypes is covered with a camouflage foil, suggesting styling tweaks are hidden underneath. We assume each model will get modifications that will reflect the design philosophy of its respective brand. Not much can be seen at the moment but the Opel trial vehicle might be equipped with upgraded lighting technology.

While combustion engines are still offered for the K9 family, including a 1.2-liter turbo gas mill and a 1.5-liter diesel depending on the market, there could be early indications that Stellantis has plans to switch to fully electric power for the vans. Both vehicles seen in the gallery here are battery-powered and as a reminder, Citroen, Peugeot, and Opel now sell the passenger versions only as zero-emissions models. The same strategy could be also applied to the cargo models.

Speaking of the EVs from the K9 family, there might be solid upgrades under the skin. The current 50 kWh battery could be replaced by a larger 54 kWh pack like the one found in the refreshed Peugeot 2008 (see related links above). Also, the 136-hp electric motor could be upgraded to the new and more powerful 156-hp unit.