ELECTRIC cars have been with us for some time now and so have their elevated price tags – until now because the new Citroen e-C3 is a proper electric motor for just £22k.
The electric version of Citroen’s best-selling car ever, the C3, comes in with the fourth-generation models, but if you must burn fossil fuels then the conventional petrol cars also live on.
It’s far more SUV-like than its predecessor with skid plates, big wheel arches and roof rails plus it’s grown a little – nearly 100mm taller (with 62mm extra ground clearance) plus a tad longer and wider which means more room inside.
The e-C3 is the first of maker Stellantis’ new ‘cost-efficient’ platform with an 111bhp electric motor good for 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds and a top speed of just 84mph. The all-important range from its 44kWh lithium battery pack is claimed to be 199 miles but I could only get 188 after fully charging overnight on a home 3 pin set up.
Citroen say a 20 to 80 per cent top-up takes just over 25 minutes on a rapid DC charger and a stop at motorway services seemed to match up with that.
But the e C3’s biggest selling point is that price which starts at £22k and an even cheaper, 124-mile version with a smaller battery is on its way soon
Comfort is also a big plus with Citroen’s excellent advanced suspension as standard and with light but accurate steering that soft suspension soaks up the bumps – although there is also a bit of typical Citroen roll in the bends.
Despite the affordable price Citroen have managed a decent level of style and equipment with a compact steering wheel, head-up display, fabric-wrapped dashboard and armchair-like seats. There are even a smattering of ‘cool’ labels that say ‘have fun’, ‘be happy’, ‘feel good’ and ‘be cool’ so Gen Z buyers will love that – and they look quite easily removed for everyone else.
Plus models get 17in alloy wheels, black wheel arches, two-tone paint, roof rails, electric heated and folding door mirrors, head-up display, advanced comfort seats, advanced comfort suspension, a 10.25in colour touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, rear parking sensors and cruise control.
Top-of-the-range Max versions additionally get front fog lights, LED rear lights, heated front seats, steering wheel and windscreen, rear privacy glass, Citroen Connected Navigation, wireless charging and a rear camera.
Both trim levels have a 10.25in touchscreen with shortcut buttons down the right-hand side and volume controls on the left. Citroen has kept the climate controls separate, with a dedicated panel below.
Prices start at £22,095 the entry-level Plus trim, with range-topping Max models from £23,759. A cheaper, 124-mile version with a smaller battery will arrive later in 2025.
Quirky and quite unlike anything else currently on offer I loved it for a week of mixed driving including a 200 mile plus round trip for a birthday party in Darlington. One oddity is the fact that you start it with a key, no button pushing, which will fool the Gen Z lot.
For more information see www.citroen.co.uk
By Motoring Editor Steve Howarth