New Citroen e-C3 brings 199-mile range for £22,000

The next-generation Citroën C3 volition get aboriginal adjacent twelvemonth arsenic a spiritual successor to the 2CV, having been developed to bring electrical motoring to the masses.

The all-new ë-C3 volition outgo conscionable €23,300 (£20,100) astatine launch, comfortably undercutting each but the cheapest Chinese alternatives connected the continent.

Autocar understands UK pricing volition commencement betwixt £22,000 and £23,000 – significantly little than the £25,490 BYD Dolphin, the cheapest EV presently disposable successful the market.

An adjacent cheaper mentation with a smaller artillery volition articulation the line-up successful 2025, priced astatine €19,990 (£17,250), though Citroën has yet to corroborate whether this volition beryllium offered successful the UK.

Citroën insiders told Autocar they judge it to beryllium the astir affordable “proper” electrical car connected the market, noting that it’s a full-size five-seater, dissimilar the rival Dacia Spring Electric.

Key to achieving specified keen pricing was the usage of the cost-effective Smart Car platform, which was primitively reserved for the abstracted ‘CC21’ C3 sold successful India and Latin America.

Although the caller Europe-bound C3 was conceived arsenic an EV, this level tin enactment a combustion powertrain if determination is capable request (as was the lawsuit successful the UK with the C4 X), and Citroën has near capable country beneath the bonnet for a petrol engine. A Citroën UK spokesperson confirmed to Autocar that the combustion C3 volition people a starting terms beneath £15,000, making it a rival to the Dacia Sandero.

The Smart Car level was adapted to fulfill European regulations, gaining a stronger clang operation (the CC21 C3 infamously scored zero stars successful Latin NCAP information testing), and was fixed a big of tweaks to amended refinement, portion the artillery compartment nether the rear spot seat was changed from a T-shape to a quadrate to amended capacity.

The supermini volition get with a 44kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) artillery pack, giving it a scope of 199 miles. The €19,990 variant volition connection a scope of 124 miles.

The LFP chemistry brings respective advantages: it is cheaper to produce, lasts longer and wholly omits cobalt. However, LFP cells are not arsenic energy-dense arsenic nickel manganese cobalt, meaning LFP artillery packs of equivalent capableness measurement more. Additionally, LFP batteries are typically much delicate to outer temperatures, with importantly reduced complaint rates successful acold conditions.

Citroën is assured that the comparatively tiny scope of the caller C3 volition beryllium plenty, arsenic task manager Guillaume Noël explained: “In the B-segment, we privation to support it simple. We cognize that, connected average, astir of our customers bash little than 80km [50 miles] per day, and I’m definite that, adjacent successful acold weather, we volition beryllium capable to conscionable that requirement.” In the sanction of affordability, nary vigor pump volition beryllium fitted.

To guarantee the ë-C3 remains usable connected longer journeys, it is susceptible of accelerated charging astatine rates of up to 100kW, enabling a 20-80% complaint successful 26 minutes.

Ride comfortableness was a precedence for the ë-C3 (another spiritual nexus to the 2CV), truthful it features Citroën’s Advanced Comfort hydraulic bump stops.

Straight-line show is comparable to that of the existent petrol C3. A azygous centrifugal pushes 111bhp done the beforehand wheels, allowing the ë-C3 to dispatch the 0-62mph sprint successful astir 11.0sec. Its apical velocity is 84mph.

The ë-C3 isn’t importantly longer oregon wider than today’s C3, but it is 100mm taller, boosting caput country and bringing a much commanding driving position. Passenger abstraction is importantly improved successful different ways, too: Citroën claims the astir generous rear genu country successful the class.

Brand CEO Thierry Koskas confirmed that, though the 2 cars are present akin successful proportion, the ë-C3 does not regenerate the Citroën C3 Aircross. Instead, the C3 Aircross volition turn into a seven-seat electrical SUV, besides based connected the Smart Car platform.

Inside the ë-C3, the extremity was to supply a “zen feeling”, according to plan pb Boris Reinmöller. “We conscionable wanted it to beryllium arsenic elemental arsenic imaginable successful presumption of design,” helium said.

There is simply a head-up show arsenic standard, and the 2 higher trim levels diagnostic a 10.25in infotainment touchscreen arsenic standard, but the entry-level You variant replaces the second with a Volkswagen Up-style smartphone dock.

A dedicated smartphone app volition beryllium created to springiness drivers entree to music, radio, calls and sat-nav via their telephone (although the touchscreen tin beryllium added arsenic an optional extra). Every different halfway power is handled by a carnal power oregon button.

The little for the exterior was to determination distant from the brushed curves of the existent C3, explained Reinmöller: “The earlier Citroëns were rather playful, astir to our liking a spot excessively playful, truthful we wanted to go a small spot much mature successful its treatment.

“In its conception treatments, [we wanted] to bring retired the muscles arsenic well, though we stayed a spot brushed and gentle – it’s not a Peugeot! It’s inactive a affable consciousness successful presumption of surfacing, but it’s much defined.”

Nonetheless, the caller ë-C3 does clasp an constituent of amusive successful its design. There are 2 ‘colour clip’ inserts connected each broadside of the car which let the summation of swappable, colour-contrasting accents.

Three hues volition beryllium disposable astatine motorboat – orange, neon-green and achromatic – but Citroën confirmed plans to grow the enactment of colours, adding that graphics specified arsenic nationalist flags whitethorn yet go available.

The value of the ë-C3 to Citroën’s aboriginal can’t beryllium understated: the C3 presently takes 40% of the brand’s rider car sales, according to the firm.